Before Jurassic World - Owen's POV
by Keala Leilani
Summary: AU: Owen Grady's life has never been normal, but working at Jurassic World is a challenge unlike any he's ever faced. When Josephine King enters the equation he suddenly has more to worry about than just his raptors and InGen. There's a storm brewing on the island, and if Owen and Jo have any hope of surviving they'll have to learn they are stronger together than apart. (Owen X OC)
1. First Impressions

**For all those who requested it...here it is. If you haven't read Before Jurassic World this won't make much sense so I'd suggest checking it out first. For all those who have, I really hope you enjoy this. I've got a couple of chapters already, but if you have a request let me know and I'll give it a shot.**

 **Disclaimer: I own Jo and that's about it.**

 ***Little update for those checking this out for the first time, the sequel to Before Jurassic World is up. It's called Sins of the Father, check it out and let me know what you think. Thanks!**

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 **Chapter 1 – First Impressions**

When I left the Navy I thought for sure I'd never work for another organization with as many asinine policies and procedures. I mean, come on, the Government is so ass backwards working at Jurassic World should be tame by comparison, right?

No.

Hell no.

I was so tired of attending ridiculous meetings or being harped on to file a report I was seriously considering bodily harm to the next person who brought it up.

If I thought the paperwork and the logistics associated with this job were tedious they were nothing compared to Claire Dearing. That woman was determined to remove the balls of every man on this island and store them in her office for safekeeping. I steadfastly avoided her at all cost because frankly she was too intense for me, and that's saying something.

I'd only made the extensive journey to headquarters today in order to stop the stalker style phone calls her assistant was making on a daily basis to the raptor paddock. I was afraid I'd have to tranquilize Barry if he was forced to run interference for me again.

The meeting with her had gone about as well as expected since I was dealing with a woman who was about as flexible as concrete. I'll be completely honest; I didn't get what she was so riled up about. So it has been a year and I have no email, is that really any reason to get your panties in a twist? I prefer face-to-face communication over technology or at least I normally did. Right now I'd take smoke signaling over having to endure another minute of hearing Claire reference corporate policy regarding e-mail. She'd even pulled out a 3 ring binder that was about 10 inches thick and was now digging through it to show me the rules in black and white. The fact that the rule book was bigger than War and Peace was painful.

As I continued to sit here, mute, Claire continued to bombard me with corporate policy accompanied by some pretty serious glowering. Claire was under the impression I'd made a conscious choice to deviate from every policy she had in place simply to spite her. I didn't have the heart to tell her it actually had nothing to do with her at all. I just didn't like paperwork or technology, that's why I had Barry. I took this job for one reason and one reason only, the raptors. Everything else was just white noise.

As it turns out the Operations Manager held a somewhat different opinion, and she held it pretty loudly. If Claire hadn't been so flustered by my all this I would have found the crack in her normally aloof personality amusing. She was so worked up at this point I was pretty sure her talking now equated to yelling, and it appeared as if she was having a hard time not hitting me. I wanted her to stop shrieking and I wanted out of this office, that's the only explanation I can come up with for what happened next.

"Go out with me," I blurted out.

Even in my own head I was asking myself 'what the fuck'. If ever there were two people more ill-suited for each other it was Claire and me. I mean, sure, she was gorgeous; if you liked your women as welcoming as an ice palace.

Maybe I just wanted to see what she'd say? Maybe I wanted her to stop yelling at me? Maybe I needed a lobotomy? Whatever I was thinking it was too late to turn back now, the gauntlet had just been thrown down.

"What?" Claire answered, bewildered. Her eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and tried to avoid shifting my weight, "Would you like to go out with me sometime? In the future. Together."

Jesus Christ I was an idiot. I should have just kept my mouth shut and let her yell.

"You want to go out with me?" She sounded so unsure of herself. It was such a departure from the normally put together and confident Claire I immediately felt like an asshole.

"Yeah. What do you say?" Who knows, maybe this wouldn't end with either of us dead on the side of the road. I'm nothing if not an optimist.

She bit her lip, clearly having a hard time wrapping her head around the idea of us on a date. Yeah, that made two of us. She seemed to come to some kind of decision as she demurely tucked her hair behind her ear, and turned her attention to her computer screen. She furiously typed away on the keyboard, and I was wondering if this was going to be the worst rejection in the history of mankind.

"I believe I have a few openings later this week or we could try to schedule something for early next week. I need to check with my assistant first, but I can have her put together a few options and give you call to finalize the details," she said, looking at me expectantly.

Yep, I knew I was screwed the minute I opened my mouth.

"I'm sorry, what?" I was confused. She was consulting her calendar and her personal assistant in order to plan a date?

"My assistant, Zara, will call you later today and you can let her know what time works for you. If you let her know the location as well she will make sure it gets on my schedule."

It took all the strength I possessed to plant a smile on my face as I stood up, slowly backing towards her door, "I can't wait."

I quickly exited her office, closing the door, and leaning up against the wall. How the hell did I get myself into these situations? I covered my face with my hands furiously trying to think of a way out of what was sure to be a less than enjoyable experience. I thought about just cancelling when her assistant called, but the hopeful look on her face when I'd asked her out kept flashing through my mind. If I didn't know any better I'd think Claire Dearing didn't get asked out a lot, if ever. She was a gorgeous, smart, talented woman, but her all work and no play demeanor probably had most guys giving her a wide birth. She looked like about as much fun as a hemorrhoid at times.

I pushed off the wall heading to the elevator making up my mind to keep the date no matter what I had to endure. It was only one night and I refused to hurt Claire simply because I had a problem thinking before I opened my mouth. She deserved better than that, and I would give it to her. Stepping on the elevator I hit the button for the lobby hoping like hell I could get out of here before I asked someone else out inadvertently.

I was so caught up in my own head I almost missed the blur that was Zara darting passed me to get on the elevator. I moved to the side looking back at her with a tight smile knowing a very uncomfortable conversation with her was in my future. I needed to get out of this building and back to the raptor paddock, now.

I quickly moved to get off the elevator, but before I could get out I slammed into someone. My head whipped around just in time to see a woman lurch backwards, her duffle bag and sunglasses crashing to the floor. My hands shot out grabbing her by her upper arms attempting to keep her upright.

"Shit," she muttered, trying to right her footing. I released her arms as she turned without acknowledging me to collect her discarded belongings.

"My bad. I didn't see you there. Are you OK?" I asked as she turned around to face me.

The first thing I noticed was that she was tall, probably around six feet if I had to guess. She was dressed casually in a pair of lose fit denim jeans, a black tank top covered by a short, gray hooded jacket rounded out by a pair of well-worn flip flops. It was such a drastic departure from the woman I had just left I couldn't help but smile.

Her long brown hair had streaks of gold running through it that seemed to shimmer when the sun filtering through the lobby windows hit them. Somehow I just knew the look was natural, and I immediately worried I'd need to revoke my Man Card for knowing something like that. I needed to go crush a beer can over my head or something to ensure I didn't spontaneously grow a vagina.

The long strands of hair were loose and running down her back in a style that wasn't quite straight, but wasn't curly either. I had seen woman on the island attempt to recreate this look to no avail, but something about this woman told me the look was entirely unintentional. It looked like she'd rolled out of bed, put on the first thing she saw, and forgot to brush her hair. It was quite endearing, and refreshing.

Her face was devoid of any makeup and I noticed dark circles under eyes, no doubt caused by the long journey to Costa Rica. When her eyes finally met mine it felt like taking a punch to the gut. A spectacular ring of gold unlike anything I'd ever seen circled her amber brown eyes, and I felt myself swallow hard at the sight. At first glance the woman standing in front of me looked unremarkable, but upon closer inspection she was breathtaking.

The most amusing part was the way she was unabashedly checking me out. I felt like a piece of meat hanging out for a hungry carnivore. If this is what women felt like when men checked them out I totally got why we ended up getting slapped 9 times out of 10. I was having a hard time being upset as her eyes raked over me from head to toe. As much fun as it was to stand here as she inspected me I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand still without evening the playing field, and something told me I might receive a black eye for my trouble.

I cleared my throat, attempting to gain her attention, and ascertain whether she was capable of actual speech.

"I'm sorry, what?" she stuttered, a slight blush creeping across her face.

"Are you OK?" I questioned, taking care to enunciate each word slowly. I saw irritation flare in her eyes and smothered a laugh.

"Yeah, fine. Thanks," she answered, slipping past me onto the elevator. I couldn't help, but smirk at her attempt to appear unfazed by our meeting.

"See ya around," I called out as the doors began to close slowly. She flashed me a sarcastic thumbs up and I couldn't help but laugh because I'm pretty sure she would have much rather flipped me the bird. This was just too much fun.

I spent the drive back to the raptor paddock racking my brain to identify the mystery woman from the lobby. Maybe Barry had a point about paying attention in meetings because for the life of me I had no idea who she was. Most new arrivals were well publicized, but somehow this woman had flown in completely under the radar.

Barry was waiting for me as I parked near the paddock stairs. "Well, I'm back and relatively unscathed," I told him.

"If you would just answer your emails you wouldn't have to go to the principal's office all the time."

"Yes, but in order to do that I'd have to have an email account. Let's not put the cart before the horse buddy," I said making my way to the office. I could practically feel Barry rolling his eyes.

"So, other than a minor tongue lashing, Ms. Dearing let you off easy?" he inquired, falling into step with me.

I paused, debating the merit of letting Barry in on my accidental date situation, but given the fact the entire island would probably know before nightfall I decided to come clean.

"Well, it there was a lot of huffing and yelling and I wasn't sure there was an end in sight so…"

"So?" Barry prompted me to finish as we walked in our shared office.

"So, I ended up asking her out."

Barry paused midway to his desk staring at me like I had a dick growing out of my forehead. I sat down at my desk waiting for him to regain cognitive brain function.

"You did what?" he shouted, sitting down heavily at his own desk.

"I asked her out. It was an accident."

"How do you accidentally ask someone out?"

I'd let him know when I figured it out. "It was a reflex. She was so worked up I said the first thing I could think of that would snap her out of it. On the plus side, it worked."

Barry leaned forward at his desk, massaging his temples. The way he was acting you'd think he had a date with the Ice Queen.

"Yes, but now you have a date with our boss's boss. This is bad Owen. Really bad," he sighed, eyeing me critically.

"I know that, I'm handling it. It's one date, we're not binding our souls for eternity so chill out."

"You two are about as compatible as oil and water, man, that's all I'm saying."

Thank you Captain Obvious.

"Jesus, are we still talking about this. Do you want to braid each others hair next?"

"I'm just stating facts. When you fuck this up, because you will fuck this up, it will come down on all of us," Barry stated plainly, leaning back in his chair with a smug look on his face.

"Thanks for the support buddy," I said sarcastically. Time for a not so subtle subject change. "Do you know anything about a new hire starting today?"

"Not that I know of, but I don't look that closely if it doesn't involved the girls."

Yeah, me either, but someone needed to keep their ear to the grindstone on this kind of thing. Especially when it involved the woman I'd just ran into. Who did we know that had their nose in everyone's business?

"What's that nerdy guy's name who works in control? Landry or something like that," I asked Barry.

"Lowery Cruthers, why?"

"That's it," I said snapping my fingers and picking up the phone. I dialed the control room impatiently tapping my foot.

"Control room, this is Lowery."

"Lowery, it's Owen. What do you know about a new hire starting today?" I probed, my voice full of authority. Technically, this was none of my business, but I wasn't one to let a little thing like a technicality stand in my way. I knew Lowery was intimidated by me, and I intended to take full advantage of that today. I'd apologize later, right now I needed to know more about the tall, brown eyed woman.

"Oh, um, hi Mr. Grady. I'm not sure about any new hires arriving today, but I could check the log?"

"You can call me Owen, Lowery. Can you take a look and see what you can find, I'll wait."

He mumbled an OK and began furiously typing on his keyboard. "Well, this is odd. I see an arrival log for a Josephine King. She's scheduled to meet with Mr. Masrani and Ms. Dearing right now, actually."

"What's so odd about that?"

"I don't see anything in her human resources file. No background check, no resume, nothing. There's no paper trail indicating she applied for a job at Jurassic World," Lowery mumbled, his voice trailing off in confusion.

Odd didn't even begin to cover it.

"What's her job title?"

"Hang on, let me see if I can track it down," Lowery told me. "OK, here it is. That's strange. She's listed as the Director of Security Protocols and Behavior Assessment."

"What the fuck is that?" That sounded completely made up. "So she works for InGen?"

"I don't know. I've never heard of it and there isn't anything else listed except her direct supervisor and place of residence," Lowery answered, continuing to type.

"And that would be?"

"Mr. Masrani," Lowery replied, stunned. I agreed with that assessment. If she was answering to Simon Masrani there was more to Josephine King than meets the eyes. "And it lists her new address as the bungalow next to yours."

"Thanks Landry, I'll talk to ya later."

"It's Lowery actually…"

I hung up the phone pondering the enigma that was the Director of Security Protocols and Behavior Assessment. I couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous title. Simon was creative, I'd give him that. Simon wanted Josephine on the island so bad he'd made up a position just for her. The big question was, why?

The icing on the cake was her living next door. I enjoyed having the entire beach to myself, but sharing space with Josephine King would be anything but a hardship. It appeared as if things around Isla Nublar just got a lot more interesting.

"Are you going to sit there all day with that dreamy look in your eyes or are we going to get some work done?" Barry asked, snapping me out of my daze. "Daydreaming about your upcoming date with Ms. Dearing?"

If he only knew.

"Blow me. Come on let's get the girls in the paddock," I told him, moving towards the door. I shelved my inner musings for a later date and decided to get back to work.

Nothing cleared my head like taking the girls through their paces. We were on the verge of a major breakthrough, but something was holding the girls back. I'd imprinted on them at birth, but they weren't stupid. They knew I wasn't one of them, and it was proving difficult to assert my dominance as their Alpha. It would happen though. I could feel it in my bones and the anticipation was a motivating force.

Hours later I was sweaty, exhausted and pissed off. There were unsuccessful days at work and then there was what I had just experienced. Some days should come with a warning label: Today is going to suck, so bring alcohol.

"Shake it off man," Barry said as we made our way towards our vehicles, "We'll figure it out."

"No doubt. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning. Get some rest," I told him as I climbed on my motorcycle, kick starting the engine.

I headed home trying to shake off the frustration from the day. I was so wrapped up in my singular failures I had forgotten about the new addition to the neighborhood. Josephine's trailer was lit up like a beacon in the night sky, and I drove to her house on autopilot. The need to see her overwhelming my common sense that told me showing up at a woman's house unannounced, when you didn't know her was incredible creepy.

I saw her sitting on her porch with her feet up drinking a beer. She had a small smile tugging at her lips and I instantly felt my heart expand at the sight.

"I heard I got a new neighbor," I called out, alerting her to my presence.

She froze, the sandwich in her hand half way to her mouth. She looked over her shoulder at me, and I felt her eyes travel over my body like a touch. She licked her lips and I groaned in response. Jesus, I needed a beer, and maybe a cold shower.

"Are you the welcome committee here to drop off my house warming gift?" she asked with a smile. I let loose a booming laugh in response. She was just what the doctor ordered.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I only found out about your arrival today so I'm a little behind on a gift."

"I guess I'll forgive you then."

I moved onto the porch, plopping down in the chair beside her and propping one leg up on the coffee table. She raised her eyebrows at me questioning my invasion of her personal space. I had no idea what I was doing, but I wanted to be near her. I internally rolled my eyes at the thought. What was up with me today?

"Besides, it would seem you already got a house warming gift," I said, gesturing to the beer bottle.

"Friends in high places," she offered, taking a slow pull from her beer. I felt my jeans tighten in response to her lips wrapping around the bottle. God, I needed to get laid. Fast. "Want one?"

"If the lady's offering," I smiled slowly.

She sucked in a quick breath, looking away. It was good to know I wasn't the only one affected by whatever this was between us. As she got up to retrieve a beer I got a good look at her attire, and had to cover my hand with my mouth to keep from laughing for the second time tonight. She was sporting a pair of pink and white polka dot PJ shorts that were too short to accomplish anything other than inducing cardiac arrest. Her black T-shirt was so tight it left little to the imagination, and I'll be honest, I can imagine quite a lot. I was suddenly questioning my impromptu decision to crash her dinner party.

Looking for a distraction from my wayward sexual thoughts I leaned forward to examine her sandwich. I internally cringed looking at ham, mustard and what appeared to potato chips all crushed together between two pieces of bread. This woman was definitely challenged in the culinary department.

I heard the door to her trailer slam closed and looked up at her, "Does this sandwich have potato chips in it?"

"Yes," she answered with a slight edge in her voice.

"With ham and mustard?" I wanted to make sure I understood the depths of her cooking handicap.

"Yes. I'm kind of a culinary pimp," she alleged, handing me my beer. I couldn't help but snort at her snarky reply. She had a smartass answer for everything, and god help me, I liked it.

"Oh yeah, what else can you make?"

"Well, I can order takeout really well, but something tells me my options are somewhat limited here."

That was the understatement of the century. Unless you conned Marco into delivering something from Margaritaville takeout was a nonstarter.

"That is very true," I told her laughing softly and she smiled in return. It made my inside do funny things and I had no idea why. "So, now that we're neighbors we should probably officially introduce ourselves. Owen Grady."

"Jo King," she responded with a finger wave. The opportunity to rib her about her full name was just too much to pass up.

"Don't you mean Josephine King?" I shot at her with a smirk. I had no idea why I was trying to get a rise out of her or why I felt comfortable enough to even go there. We hardly knew each other, but somehow I felt like I'd known her for years.

"Jo will suffice, and someone's been checking up on me."

She didn't rise to the bait, not even a little. I was equal parts impressed and disappointed. I rather liked snarky, annoyed Jo. I did not miss the way her cheeks flushed and she fidgeted in her seat as I stared at her, and I was profoundly happy by the development.

"I asked around, but no one seems to know a lot about our new Director of Security Protocols and Behavior Assessment," I said, my eyebrows raised in question.

"I can't believe our resident raptor trainer wasn't able to come up with more than my official name and title. I expected more."

Avoiding the issue, not surprising, I knew her job title sounded a little far-fetched. It appeared like I wasn't the only one intrigued by our brief meeting this morning. I pointedly ignored the instinct to puff out my chest like a cave man.

"Looks like I'm not the only one doing some digging," I stated, leaning forward and letting my beer bottle dangle between my fingers.

She seemed unfazed by my inquiry, popping the remains of her sandwich in her mouth. I narrowed my eyes trying to get a read on her. I could tell she kept her cards close to the vest, but there were subtle nuances that gave away the feelings she tried so hard to keep hidden. The slight shift of her weight as she sat, the way her breathing changed from an even flow to shorter rasps, how her spine straightened out as if she was prepared to fight for her life. She may be closed off to other people, but to me she was an open book.

"Please, I don't need to dig around to find out about you," she informed me, a clear challenge.

It was a nice night for a little verbal sparring. Game on.

"By all means enlighten me," I tossed at her flippantly. I had no doubt she had just as much trouble finding information on me as I did on her. I wasn't the type to hang my business out to air dry.

"Owen Grady, current employee of InGen. Apparently, you are crazy enough to get into a cage with raptors in an attempt to train them. No doubt that breed of crazy was fostered in the military. I'm thinking Navy, maybe even a SEAL. You're between the ages of 31 to 33 and weigh 210 pounds easy. There's a KA-BAR strapped to the middle of your belt at your back. You're left handed and know how to handle yourself in a fight, but you're more of a street brawler." She took a pull from her beer before continuing. "You have some prior knowledge of animal training, probably with the Navy, and you genuinely respect the animals here. However, you don't allow that to cloud the fact that while your raptors may appear tame under certain conditions they are, by their nature, wild animals and capable of incredible violence."

What. The. Fuck.

She sat back looking at me, a smug smile graced her beautiful face. My instincts screamed at me that she was a threat and I felt my guard immediately slam into place. There was no possible way she had found that information in the system because I had personally made sure it wasn't _**IN**_ the system.

"How, how did you know all that?" I stuttered.

"Did you miss the Behavior Assessment part of my job title?"

Well, no, I hadn't exactly missed it; I just had no clue what it actually meant. Until now, that is.

"That's incredible. Disturbing, but incredible." That was putting it mildly.

She waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah well, everyone has a talent."

"Are you going to tell me what you actually do here besides that creepy Ms. Cleo reading you just rattled off?" I probed, setting my beer on the table waiting patiently for her response.

"Near as I can tell I'm a stealth ninja who gets to run around the island and watch dinosaurs."

I tried, I really did, but I couldn't help but shake with uncontrollable laughter. The woman sitting in front of me was dressed like she was ready to leave for a slumber party, and here she was insisting she was a stealth ninja. Just the thought sent another wave of hysterical laughter rolling through me.

"No, seriously," I questioned, simply to piss her off.

"I am serious. I'm a security consultant." Her faces had lost all traces of humor and she was sitting ramrod straight in the chair.

Her answer helped sober me up a little. "So you work for InGen?"

She took a deep breath, measuring her words carefully.

"Not exactly. I work for Masrani Global."

I'm sorry what? I must have misheard her.

"I wasn't aware Masrani had a security force."

"Force is a bit of an overstatement. They don't so much have a force, as they have me."

I wasn't sure how to respond to that. As far as I knew, InGen handled all security related matters at the park. Why would Masrani Global feel the need to hire one lone security consultant when they had an entire force at their disposal?

"Just you?"

"Did I stutter," she snapped. Every inch of her playful demeanor was now gone. A defensive fire flashed in her eyes.

"And what exactly are you consulting on?"

I knew she was getting more and more mad with each question, and I didn't blame her. She thought I was questioning her ability to fill the position when in reality I was trying to piece together the game Simon had decided to initiate. I wasn't use to being kept in the dark, and this was one hell of a blind side.

"What is this the Spanish Inquisition? Twenty questions? I'm a security consultant. I'm going to consult on security matters here at our lovely park," she practically yelled at me, standing up with her hands on her hips.

I smirked at her ire. She was just so damn cute. "And the behavior assessment part?"

"I would say that's pretty clear, I just assessed the shit out you didn't I?"

I stood up slowly, bringing myself to my full height. I knew she'd see it as an intimidation tactic, but really I just wanted to be closer to her. She smelled faintly of vanilla with just a hint of salty ocean air, and I struggled to keep my breathing level. I had the irrational urge to haul her against my body and taste her lips to see if they were as soft as they looked. I needed to go home before I did something both of us might regret.

"While assessing each other sounds like a lot of fun, I think maybe it's a little too soon for that. Don't ya think?" I said striving for casual, but my voice came out gravely with need. Shit, what was this woman doing to me?

She sucked in a ragged breath, and I grinned already moving past her towards my motorcycle.

"You're an asshole," she barked out. I laughed for what felt like the 100th time tonight. I couldn't remember feeling so carefree. It felt good.

I kick started my motorcycle glancing behind me, "Good night Josephine."

Without waiting for her reply I tore off towards my bungalow silently contemplating the enigma that was Jo King. The only thing I knew with absolute certainty was now that she was here nothing would ever be the same.


	2. Meeting The Girls

**Chapter 2 – Meeting "The Girls"**

The next morning I woke before dawn more out of habit than actual necessity. Years of military training had ensured sleeping in was a luxury I no longer partook in, unfortunately. The sleep filled haze I felt as I ambled to the kitchen could easily be cured with some coffee and a decent breakfast.

I quickly fried up some eggs as the coffee brewed filling the bungalow with an aroma so intoxicating I could practically feel the caffeine already racing through my veins. Pouring myself a steaming cup of coffee I grabbed my plate deciding breakfast on the porch was the way to go.

As I climbed the steps to the table I saw Jo fly past my bungalow so fast I was momentarily alarmed she might be in danger. I looked up and down the beach seeing no immediate threat, and turned back to Jo in time to see her continue by my bungalow in what I now understood was a morning jog. Not even 24 hours on the island and this woman was up running down the beach at a pace that would make Olympic marathoners drool. She was wearing typical running clothes consisting of short spandex and a tank top, but on a body like hers she may as well have been sporting lingerie. I was having a hard time conjuring up any type of clothing that would make her look unappealing, maybe a trash bag? I shook my head at the thought; I was in serious trouble.

I checked my watch and headed inside for a quick shower. I needed to get to the paddock early to go over some research notes with Barry before we started with the girls. I got dressed quickly and headed out the door towards my bike. Glancing up, I saw Jo collapse in a heap outside her trailer. I smiled to myself; something told me this woman only had two settings, 100 mph or unconsciousness. I didn't think she understood the meaning of moderation.

Hopping off my bike I slowly walked up to where she was crumpled on the ground panting hard. "You're up early," I told her as she pulled her ear buds out.

"Something tells me bikini season is 24/7 around here, and I wouldn't want to fall behind," she wheezed, attempting to slow her breathing.

"Most people would take a few days to acclimate before running a marathon. I thought a dinosaur was chasing you the way you flew by my place."

She craned her neck towards my bungalow, a confused look crossing her face. I noticed the dark circles under her eyes and silently wondered how much sleep she had actually gotten last night, and what would have kept her up.

"I'm not most people I guess."

I nodded in agreement, offering her my hand. "That you are not Jo." She accepted my help up without hesitation, and I easily pulled her to her feet. "What's on your schedule for today?"

"Got a meeting with Claire in a couple of hours. After that, who knows?" she answered nonchalantly.

I took a long look at her face seeing the hard lines of exhaustion that had nothing to do with her early morning jog. Her eyes looked almost haunted, and I had the inexplicable urge to engulf her in my arms. Her early morning calisthenics were about more than just keeping in shape; she was running from something of that I was positive. She shifted her weight under my scrutiny, and I cleared my throat glancing away from her towards my motorcycle.

"Well, I'm off to feed my girls. Have fun on your first day Josephine," I said, a devilish smirk twitching at my lips. Pushing this woman's buttons was becoming my new favorite hobby.

"Try not to get eaten Grady," she responded without missing a beat.

"Will do King."

I kick started my motorcycle tearing out of Jo's front yard towards the raptor paddock. I needed some distance from Josephine King, and hopefully dealing with Velociraptors was just the distraction I needed. The woman was getting under my skin like an infectious disease, and it scared the hell out of me.

The distraction I was craving presented itself at work, but not exactly in the way I was imagining. Nothing clears your head like hours of failure, and heat so intense it felt like your skin my melt.

"Well, at least we won't have to creatively word our report to Hoskins this week," Barry said as he made his way towards the staircase.

Creative wording was a fancy way of saying our reports were filled with total bullshit and lots of SAT worthy adjectives, but it helped Barry sleep better at night to think of it in a different light. I didn't care what we did if it kept Hoskins off the island. I didn't trust that man as far as I could throw him so a little omission here and there was fine by me. The problem this time was we weren't lying at all. Today had been an utter failure, and it pissed me off.

"Let's get them in containment. I think the vet techs are due out for a blood draw," I told him, "I'll meet you down there in a few."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Owen. Blue and Echo will come around and when they do Charlie and Delta will fall in line."

I pursed my lips nodding to appease Barry. I had my doubts, but as the resident Velociraptor expert on the island it would hardly be appropriate for me to voice my skepticism. Truth of the matter was we had no idea how this experiment with the raptors would play out since no one in history had attempted anything like it. I was flying blind, especially now that Blue and Echo seemed locked in a never ending power struggle.

I heard my name float up from the parking lot and started for the stairs. I paused in mid-step hearing the familiar voice of my new neighbor. I couldn't keep a smile off my face as I saw Jo walking towards the paddock with Barry. I'd come to work looking for a way to push her out of my mind, but seeing her stride towards the paddock I realized it was the first time today I felt at ease.

She'd upped her game today dressed in complete combat gear complete with enough weapons to stage a coup d'état. I overhead her telling Barry she had come to inspect the paddock as she casually mentioned my name.

"You know Owen?" Barry questioned.

"Doesn't everyone?" I interrupted, moving down the stairs. I took my time joining the pair, taking in every inch of Jo's appearance. She looked like a woman who knew how to handle herself. Dangerous was the word that came to mind, and god help me, it was a turn on. "Well, don't you look official today."

"I debated leaving my weapons in the car considering I often have the inclination to shoot you, but decided to risk it just for today," she said smugly, her lips lifting ever so slightly, giving me no doubt the over-eager display of weapons was for my benefit. No doubt in response to my less than favorable reaction last night regarding her job at the park.

Barry was laughing so hard I thought he might be choking on something, but I didn't miss the questioning glance he shot my way. I'd conveniently forgotten to mention the multiple face-offs with my new neighbor, and Barry was worse than a high school girl when it came to gossiping. That man made Gitmo interrogations look like child's play.

"It was nice to meet you Jo. I will be inside finishing up those reports if you are good here Owen?" Barry said, already heading towards our office.

I nodded my head at him as I fell into step with Jo. We made our way around the paddock slowly as she asked the occasional question. I was impressed with her attention to detail, she didn't miss a thing, and again I wondered about her background.

I led her to the first of two reinforced metal doors leading to the paddock, pressing the green button to open the steel cage. "The girls are in containment so we can take a look inside." She smiled slightly, nodding her head as I opened the second gate leading directly into the paddock. "After you."

Without missing a beat she stepped into the raptor paddock, pausing a few feet inside to look around. "How many raptors do you have?"

"Four." She remained silent, taking in my information as she continued her tour around the enclosure.

"How old are they now?"

"A little over six months and growing like weeds." I couldn't keep the pride from leaking into my voice. The raptors were my only reason for taking this job, and I was keenly aware of my attachment to them. It wasn't professional or intentional, but it also couldn't be helped. The rational part of my brain knew they were wild animals, but they were like family to me.

"You need to keep the underbrush cut back. They may not be attempting it now, but once they are older they could use it for leverage against the wall," she said, pulling me out of my musings.

"You think they would climb a tree to get out?" I asked, not even trying to keep the humor out of my voice. Raptors climbing trees? The thought was pretty amusing.

"The raptors at Jurassic Park were observed learning to open doors after only seeing it done once. Are you really willing to take the chance your girls don't figure something out?" she shot back, continuing her evaluation of the paddock without me.

She had me there. Velociraptors were highly intelligent animals, and if anything could figure a way out of this enclosure it would be my girls.

"Do you have experience with animals?" I questioned, jogging to catch up with her.

"No, but I can read," she deadpanned. Wow, twice in one conversation she'd put me in my place. Impressive.

"Alright, we'll make sure the grounds crew keeps the area directly in front of the wall cut back."

We had circled the enclosure and were back at the gates. Jo looked at me, excitement dancing in her eyes, "So, can I meet your girls?"

I couldn't help the ear splitting grin her request produced any more than I could stop breathing. I escorted Jo to the containment units where the raptors were already securely confined. Only their heads were visible through the pressure harness, which served to immobilize their jaws while the small containment units offered little chance for them to move. I hated the units, but they were a necessary evil in order to ensure the girls were properly cared for and no worker lost a limb or worse during one of their temper tantrums.

"These containment units are built to withstand more than triple the pounds per square inch the raptors will be able to exhibit once they are fully mature," I explained as we walked into the unit.

Jo followed me in, stopping directly in front of Blue. "This is Blue. She's the oldest," I told her as she continued her visual examination of Blue. Ever the diva, Blue thrashed and growled to voice her displeasure at Jo's arrival. Blue was as high maintenance as they come, and I leaned closer whispering calmly to settle her mood.

"She's beautiful. Can I touch her?" Jo asked, already stepping closer to Blue.

I cut my eyes to her, shocked at her quick adjustment to the girls. Velociraptors were some of the most vicious dinosaurs to ever walk the earth, and understandably most people's response to them was initially rooted in fear. Especially considering the havoc they reeked at the original Jurassic Park, but Jo stood in front of Blue with nothing short of calm confidence.

"Sure."

Jo stepped on the other side of Blue placing one hand under the raptors jaw, and the other on the side of her face. Whatever she was expecting to feel surprised her as her eyebrows raised in question as she ran her hands across Blue's skin. Blue trashed slightly in her pen at the touch, but Jo immediately uttered a quiet, "Shhh, easy girl."

Almost instantly Blue relaxed as her eyes danced over Jo's form trying to assess the woman before her as friend or foe. I held my breath as the two of them were locked in a staring contest. It took only seconds for Blue to make a decision, but it felt more like hours. Her eyes narrowed a hair's breadth before she lashed out, visibly shaking and thrashing in her pen. Whatever she had seen in Jo she obviously didn't like. Jo immediately dropped her hand from Blue, stepping back slightly in acceptance of the raptors decision. She didn't look the least bit surprised or shaken by the encounter. I didn't know if she simply had nerves of steel or if she was certifiable.

"What?" she inquired, noticing the look on my face for the first time.

"I've just never seen anyone walk in here and pet a raptor without so much as a tremble of their hand before."

She shrugged, "Maybe she's not the scariest thing I've ever seen." She turned to the other containment units. "What are their names?"

What the hell was that supposed to mean? I'd seen grown men piss their pants meeting the raptors for the first time. There were even moments the girls scared the shit out of me, but that's what courage is all about in my book, being scared to death of something and doing it anyway. People who were scared of nothing only accomplished that feat by caring about nothing. It doesn't come without great personal sacrifice and the thought of Jo being like that made me unbelievably sad.

"That's Echo, Charlie and Delta," I said, pointing to each one as I went.

She seemed extremely proud of herself as I called out the girls names, and smiled so bright I knew I was in for some serious fuck fuck games.

"Original," she laughed, as she rocked back on her heels in amusement.

I fought the intense urge to roll my eyes. "Shut up," I snapped, leading her out of the containment units just as Barry stepped out of the office. "Is there anything else I can do for the Director of Security Protocols and Behavior Assessment or can we all get back to work?"

"There's no need to get your panties in a twist just because I said you lacked originality." Barry, the traitor that he was, didn't even attempt to smother his laughter. "I'm sure a lot of people find the phonetic alphabet poetic."

Well, two could play at this game.

"Wow, dress you up like G.I. Jane and you get all kinds of mouthy," I said, tilting my head to the side raising my eyebrows.

She visibly bristled at the jab and I wanted to high five myself, but decided to hang on to what little pride I still had left. Jo flashed me a brilliant fake smile, turning on her heel as she made her way towards her Jeep.

Halfway there she stopped, yelling out across the parking lot, "Oh, there is one thing. I'd keep an eye on Blue. She's the Beta in the pack, but Echo is going to make a play for the spot. If you aren't careful one of them could really get hurt."

"What is she talking about?" Barry asked, confusing lacing his tone.

"I have no idea," I countered, taking off at a run towards her Jeep. She had just shut her door when I appeared in her window. "How would you know that about Blue? You spent two minutes looking at her? You haven't even seen them all interact, and you barely glanced at Echo."

She cocked her head to the side as she started the engine. She was quiet for so long I was starting to think she wasn't going to answer. "Fifty bucks says it happens by the end of the week. I mean it, keep a close eye or you might lose one of your girls before it's all said and done. Drop the money off at my house when you lose."

And with that she tore out of the parking lot forcing me to step back or get run over. I was left in a wake of dust and confusion as I contemplated the validity of her statement. I knew next to nothing about Jo, but my gut told me to heed her warning. Fifty bucks was a small price to pay for the girl's safety.

I'd keep a close eye on the raptors, but I'd also be keeping a close eye on Josephine King.

* * *

 **xxRyuu-himexx: Thanks for reading both stories and for the review. I started Owen's POV out with the intention of it just being select chapters, but so far it's pretty much been most of Before Jurassic World...LOL! Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)  
**

 **LynxOnSmoothies: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I'm so glad you like this one and the original! Makes my day!**

 **thakidisbac: I'm so happy to hear you say that. It's harder than I thought to write in someone other than Jo's perspective. Especially a character that is already established from the movie. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **jahoney: Welcome back and thanks for the review. I'm happy that you like it and it is blending in well with the original :)**

 **BlueEyedPisces: Guess what, I spelled Pisces right on my first try this time. Miracles do happen! I'm ecstatic that you liked this (and laughed)...hope this one was good too! Thanks for sticking with me!**

 **Alyssa: Thanks for reading and reviewing. It is very much appreciated!**

 **Korraismygirl: I am already working on the fight scene from Owen's perspective (great minds think alike:) I can try to update prior to Friday, but I'm traveling for work the next few weeks so I might not be able to make it happen. I'll give it my best though :) Thanks for reading/reviewing!**

 **angelicedg: Yeah! Thanks for coming back and reading. Hope you stick with me!**


	3. The Date

**I'm sooo sorry for the delay. I've been traveling for work and it's messing with my mojo. A huge thank you to everyone who is sticking with me!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 – The Date**

If I hadn't been watching for the signs I would have missed them for sure. The training session was progressing much like they had the entire week, bad. Blue and Echo were constantly snapping and jockeying for position while Charlie and Delta desperately tried to stay out of the mayhem. With Jo's warning at the forefront of my mind I was acutely aware of the moment the atmosphere shifted from an innocuous power struggle to an outright death match. Blue was relentless with her attacks on Echo and I knew if we didn't intervene straightaway I might be down a raptor.

I immediately released multiple pigs into the enclosure as a distraction, and as I'd hoped the squabbling stopped instantly as each raptor pursued their meal. In the end, as hard as it the whole ordeal had been to watch, the challenge for power resulted in a positive dynamic shift for the pack. Who knew Blue kicking Echo's ass would result in anything other than a vet visit and paperwork? Blue had cemented her position as the Beta, and Echo had shown no signs of aggression since the initial encounter.

As I rode home that night I contemplated how Jo was able to see what I'd been essentially blind to. She wasn't an expert in Velociraptors, or any animal, by her own admission, and she'd spend less than an hour with them in total. It was mind boggling that she'd waltzed in, read the situation, and accurately predicted the outcome. She was scary good at whatever it was she did here.

I was admittedly a sore loser, but a bet's a bet so I swallowed my pride and sat down on Jo's front steps with $50 clutched tightly in my hand. I'd only been there a few minutes when her Jeep pulled in.

"Why is the world's greatest raptor trainer looking forlorn on my porch?" she asked, casually leaning against her railing.

I stood up, squinting against the setting sun, and decided to just rip the band aid off. I handed her the $50 moving past her towards my motorcycle. I saw her lips twitch as she attempted, and failed, to hide her amusement.

I swung my leg over the motorcycle and before I could stop myself called out, "How did you know?"

I half expected her to give me a smartass response, but when she looked at me I saw her eyes soften and she hesitated slightly before answering.

"I saw it in her eyes. Is Echo alright?"

She saw it in her eyes? It was the last answer I expected to hear from her. Most people thought animals were simple minded brutes, and having that kind of connection was impossible. I was a firm believer all those people were morons because I knew I had a connection with my girls. I was able to discern their moods, quirks and behaviors just from observation and hours spent with them. It had never occurred to me that someone else would be able to do the same thing. Jo was making a habit out of proving me wrong.

"Yeah, thanks to you. I was watching them both pretty close, and was able to break it up before either of them could do any real damage. Blue won, just like you said she would. Echo hasn't showed any aggression since then." I shoved my hands deep in my pockets huffing out a breath. "Thank you."

It was awkward thanking someone else. It left a sour taste in my mouth.

Mercifully she let it go, answering with a simple, "You're welcome." Before turning and walking into her camper.

I had just pulled up at my bungalow when my cell phone rang. Glancing at the screen I didn't recognize the number, and debated letting it kick to voicemail before sighing and picking up. It could be something with the girls.

"Grady."

"Mr. Grady, this is Zara Young, Ms. Dearing's personal assistant. I am calling to confirm your date with her."

Oh shit. I'd completely forgotten about the date.

"That's tonight, right?" I asked, trying not to sound like a jackass who forgot about a date.

Zara hesitated, "Yes Mr. Grady, it's tonight. If you have the email confirmation handy you will see the time you are to meet Ms. Dearing, as well as the location."

Oh for fuck's sake, there was an email confirmation? Who did that? What had I gotten myself into, and more importantly, could I get out of it? I really needed to look into setting up my email, like now.

"Uh, I must have misplaced it. Can you refresh my memory?" Lord I was an asshole.

"Of course, Mr. Grady…"

"Owen," I interrupted.

"What?"

"My name. It's Owen."

"Right, Owen," Zara responded, sounding uncomfortable with the familiarity. "Ms. Dearing will meet you directly in front of the Visitors Center at 7:45 sharp."

I dug the heel of my hand into my eye sighing. "Great, I can't wait. Thanks for your help Zara." I couldn't wait for this date like I couldn't wait for a prostate exam.

"Of course Mr. Grady."

"Owen," I corrected her, heading inside to grab a beer. Any date that needed an email confirmation required beer.

"Right. I'll let Ms. Dearing know you've confirmed for tonight. Goodbye."

I sank down on the couch, tossing my phone on the table as I took a generous pull from my beer. I'd been so wrapped up in what was happening with the girls I'd forgotten about my date with Claire. What a dick move. I needed to get my head on straight and put some effort into this date. Sure, asking her out may have been an accident, but Claire deserved better.

I got up, heading to the shower determined to give this date my full attention. It wouldn't be hard considering Claire was a gorgeous woman, but a tickle in the back of my mind kept reminding me that we went together like oil and water. I'd ignore that tickle with the same devotion I'd given to ignoring my email account, 100% effort.

Showered, I pulled on a pair of black board shorts and a freshly laundered white T-shirt. Sliding my feet into my flip flops I grabbed my wallet as I headed out the door and hopped on my motorcycle. Fifteen minutes later I was standing at the designated spot outside the Visitors Center. Main Street was a bustle of activity as employees milled about having dinner or drinks on a gorgeous Friday night. The cool ocean breeze weaved between the buildings, and I was once again awe struck that I lived and worked in paradise.

Leaning up against the building I casually scanned the street for Claire. I knew she lived in one of the apartment on campus. I'd been given the option for one when I first arrived on the island, but one look at the fancy apartment with its high end furnishing and personal butlers had me inquiring about other options. I needed space, privacy, and most of all the ability to get away from everyone if I wanted to and living directly on Main Street provided none of that.

Right at 7:45 on the dot I spotted Claire walking briskly towards me. Her curvy figure was clad in an ocean blue dress that ended conservatively above her knee with the straps wrapping around her neck exposing her pale white shoulders. She was wearing heels and I silently wondered how she managed to walk at such a brisk pace in such extreme footwear. I straightened up as she drew closer and saw her red hair was immaculately styled in combination with understated makeup. I'd never seen anything other than 'Corporate Claire' so it was a bit of a shock to see her dressed so casually. She stilled looked amazing though, and I sucked in a breath through my teeth at her radiance. She may have the personality of a porcupine, but she was a breathtaking woman. However, that line of thought was abruptly cut off as I noticed the one thing she was wearing that I was very familiar with, a scowl. I felt my gut twist with apprehension. Did she know I'd forgotten about the date?

She stopped in front of me clutching her purse straps so tight her knuckles were white. I stepped forward smiling at her, "Hey, you look beautiful."

She smiled tightly before raking her eyes up and down my body. "Thank you," she said without enthusiasm. "I didn't realize you wouldn't have time to go home and change."

Huh?

I glanced down at my clothes before looking at her confusion evident in my face. "Um, I changed." I even showered I offered up silently. "Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?"

I was trying not to get pissed, but it was an uphill battle. Yes, I was man enough to admit the way Claire was dressed made me look like I was one step up from dumpster diving, but it was Central America for crying out loud. Everyone here practically lived in board shorts and T-shirts.

"Oh, um, no it's fine," Claire said, dropping her eyes from mine as she dug through her purse. "Here, I took the liberty of drawing up some tentative plans for tonight. We have reservations at Margaritaville now so we need to hurry so the entire timeline isn't thrown off."

My mouth dropped open as I looked down at the sheet of paper titled "Itinerary". If I wasn't 100% sure Claire was serious I would have thought I was being Punk'd. I browsed the "Itinerary" and saw we did indeed have reservations at Margaritaville, from exactly 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Followed closely by a short walk down Main Street towards the coffee shop that was scheduled to take no more than 15 minutes. That prostate exam was looking better and better.

As the two of us walked to Margaritaville in silence I tried to think of a way to salvage the night. Sure, Claire and I might not be soul mates, but we could have fun, right? I was 80% sure Claire was capable of fun.

The hostess greeted us and quickly led us to our seats in the corner. I lightly placed my hand at the small of Claire's back as we walked and felt her instantly stiffen at my touch. OK, apparently touching was a no go, I was now 60% sure Claire was capable of fun.

I scanned the restaurant as we walked smiling and nodding to different people I knew. Movement at the bar caught my eye and my steps faltered as I took in the sight of Hamada and Jo sitting side-by-side. Hamada was grinning at Jo as she sat hunched close to the bar with her head down. I didn't know they knew each other? Were they on a date?

I had to stop myself from grinding my teeth as we took our seats and were handed menus by the waiter. I didn't have time, or the mental capacity, to examine why the mere thought of Jo on a date with another man made me feel like committing a felony.

I took the menu from the waiter setting it down on the table. I didn't really need a menu. Like everyone on this island, except probably Claire, I was a frequent visitor to Marco's establishment. There weren't too many choices if you wanted to eat out.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" the waiter asked poised with a notepad.

"Two tequilas and some water," I answered automatically. If there was any chance for this date to end in anything other than misery tequila would have to be directly involved.

"No tequila for me," Claire spoke up, addressing the waiter. "Just water is fine. Thank you."

The waiter smiled briefly before heading off to get our drinks. I observed Claire as she studiously examined the menu like it held the meaning of life somewhere on its pages.

"If you don't want tequila we can order something else," I directed at her.

She glanced up from her menu, "Oh, no, just water is fine."

"Don't drink?"

"Occasionally, but I'm on a diet."

I was absolutely positive at this point that I was being punished for some heinous crime I'd committed in a former life. She couldn't drink tequila because she was on a diet? There were so many things wrong with that statement I didn't even know where to begin so instead I just let it go.

The waiter returned with our drinks and I slammed back the shot before he'd even had time to set Claire's water down. In hindsight, this may have sent the wrong message.

"Another?" the waiter asked hesitantly.

"Sure, but this time why don't you make it a double."

Claire pursed her lips setting her menu down. "I'm ready to order," she told the waiter ignoring me. "I'll have the grilled chicken salad with fat-free Italian dressing on the side, and can you please hold the cheese."

The waiter scribbled down the order turning towards me. Go big or go home, right?

"I'll have a double burger, extra cheese, medium," I called out, "Can you add some bacon too please?"

"I'll have this out ASAP. My name's Brian, let me know if you need anything."

With the waiter gone the conversation came to a grinding halt, again. I resisted the urge to call him back over to order something else just to have something to say. I couldn't think of one intelligent thing to ask Claire and she seemed just as lost.

The waiter brought over my second tequila interrupting the tense silence as I sipped my drink. Claire alternated between sighing heavily and quickly checking her phone. All and all I'd say this date was the stuff of nightmares.

I couldn't keep my eyes from wandering to the bar where Jo still sat with Hamada. The two of them were deep in conversation with Hamada occasionally writing something down on a piece of paper. They looked relaxed and comfortable, like old friends, the exact opposite of my current situation.

I was sitting less than five feet from an undeniably gorgeous woman, but I couldn't keep my eyes from skirting back to Jo. She looked stunning tonight in nothing more than tight fit jeans and a tank top, and I was reminded of the fact I'd seen her in little else than her Lara Croft Tomb Raider work attire. Claire was beautiful, in a put together, calculated way. Jo was beautiful without even meaning to be; I'd wager a guess she gave little to no thought to her appearance most of the time. There was an aurora that seemed to follow her that attracted people to her like a moth to a flame. The really mind-blowing part was she didn't even seem to realize it.

Mercifully the waiter returned with our food and we were both able to occupy ourselves with eating. Well, I ate. Claire mostly pushed her salad around the plate. I had to bit my tongue to keep from voicing my opinions concerning Claire's warped sense of her body. The woman had all the right curves in all the right places, but somehow she was under the impression she needed to watch her weight. I'd never understand woman.

I was just finishing my burger as Jo slid off her bar stool making her way out of the restaurant. Her spine was stiff as a board as she left through a side exit never once glancing around the restaurant. It was almost like she was willing herself to not look around. I lost sight of her as she rounded a corner heading down Main Street.

The waiter returned with the check, taking my empty plate. I reached for the bill at the same time as Claire's hand wrapped around the paper.

"I've got this," I told her. This may be the worst date in history, but I was still paying the damn check.

"No, I insist," was her rebuttal.

"Claire, I asked you out. Let me pay the bill."

Claire grimaced, refusing to relinquish the check. "How about we split it?" she offered as a compromise.

Jesus, this woman was about as warm as an Alaskan winter. I guess I wasn't the only one who felt this date crashing and burning in infamy. If I'd learned anything in my years of dating it was being single was better than being in the wrong relationship.

As we made our way out of Margaritaville I tried to recall what the next stop was on the itinerary, but before I could check my handout Claire stopped me.

"Listen Owen, I've had a good time, but I'm pretty tired. Maybe we should just call it a night. I have a lot on my plate tomorrow," she lied.

I was so happy I could have hugged her. Almost.

"Yeah, sure, I understand," I said, trying to inject some false displeasure into my voice.

She gave me a tight smile, offering me her hand as a goodbye. I raised my eyebrows at her, but complied and shook her hand as if we were strangers meeting for the first time at a business meeting. Claire was too uptight for her own good, but I was just so glad to put this tragedy behind me I practically ran to my motorcycle.

I was on my way home when I noticed Jo's porch lights on and my motorcycle seemed to steer itself to her house. I hopped off, seeing her sitting outside enjoying a beer. If I had to think up two people more different than the one sitting in front of me and the one I'd just left I'd be stuck. I made my way up her porch steps already feeling the tension from the night ease out of my shoulders.

"Up for a little company?" I asked, surprising her as I sat down next to her. If I shocked her by showing up unannounced she hide it well, offering me a beer like us spending time together was a regular occurrence.

She turned her head, slightly raising her eyebrows skeptically. "I'm not an expert or anything, but isn't having a date end before ten o'clock bad?"

Yes, under normal circumstances that would be considered a slam dunk of a fail. I didn't know what I'd spent the last hour doing, but I knew for sure it didn't qualify as a date.

"That was not a date," I explained.

"Seemed like a date," she alleged, shifting her weight and making an effort to seem nonchalant.

"You and Hamada's date doesn't seem to have ended in any headboards rattling." I didn't know Hamada that well, but I respected the guy because he was good at his job. That being said, I was fairly certain I'd bury him in a shallow grave if I found out he and Jo were together.

"Hamada is married with about 50 kids. That image is just disturbing," she exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch. Her face was scrunched up in disgust and I had the distinct feeling if we didn't change subjects she might puke. It made me smile.

"She printed out an itinerary," I scoffed, finishing my beer, grabbing another and sitting back against the couch. "Who does that?"

"She was probably nervous. Give her break. You're the one who asked her out. Have you met Claire Dearing? She's not exactly laid back."

She had a point there, but what I'd failed to mention was I'd never meant to ask Claire out in the first place. Something told me that information would be dangerous in Jo's hands; she'd never let me live it down.

"Besides, from her perspective your board shorts weren't exactly screaming I'm taking this date too seriously," she finished, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye.

I'm a pretty level-headed guy under reasonable circumstances, but this was twice in one night my socially acceptable attire was being questioned. What was this, some kind of conspiracy?

"That is exactly what she said! Is there some kind of class all women go to outlining what is and is not acceptable for men to wear on a date?" I all but shouted at her, twisting in my seat to face her.

"Not that I'm aware of."

What in the actual fuck? It's official; there are two groups of men who don't understand woman: bachelors and husbands.

"Do you think my board shorts look bad?"

"I didn't say you looked bad. I think you look hot, but someone like Claire is going to see it as big fat fuck you," she said offhandedly, finishing her beer and reaching for another.

Stop the presses, did I hear her right?

"You think I look hot?" I asked, leaning towards her on the couch. The sheer thought of Jo thinking of me like that got me more worked up than it should have.

She froze in her seat, her eyes going big as saucers. She looked at me, licking her lips unsure of what to say, but I saw the desire flash in her eyes. I took a deep breath to steady my thoughts, dragging my eyes down to her mouth wondering if they felt as soft as they looked.

"I, uh, what I meant…" she stuttered her words trailing off as her filled with equal parts desire and fear. For ½ a second I thought she might lean in in and kiss me, but then it was gone. She shot off the couch like it was on fire putting as much distance between us as she could without falling off the porch.

She was afraid of me. Not in the 'I'm capable of physically harming you' kind of way. She was afraid of letting anyone get close to her. This was a woman who made a habit of keeping people at arms length. I'd bet my life savings she'd never even been in a real relationship.

"Stop looking at me like that you're freaking me out," she said, backing away even further.

I stood up slowly, trying not to scare her even more. At this point she looked so amped up I wouldn't be surprised if she leapt over the railing and took off into the jungle. I walked towards her, my gaze never wavering. I couldn't hide the fact that I wanted Jo, and frankly I wouldn't even if I could. But before I could even test those waters I needed her trust, and we weren't there yet so I opted instead for pushing her buttons. If I'd learned anything about Josephine King in the past few weeks it was nothing gets her going like a little good-natured ribbing.

"You're cute when you're nervous."

She scoffed at my statement straightening her posture at my advance. When she realized I was still moving towards her mouth fell open, then closed again, no words coming out. She sucked in a ragged breath as her eyes darkened, broadcasting her thoughts as if she'd screamed them at me.

"Owen, seriously. Cut it out. I don't want to have to hurt you," she said with as much gusto as she could muster. It was pretty much the cutest thing I'd heard all day.

I tipped my head back, laughing harder than I had in a very long time. "Jo, no offense, but you're about as intimidating as an angry kitten."

"What the fuck!" she shouted at me, poised for a fight. Jo looked like a woman who knew how to handle herself, but I had at least 60 pounds on her and had been trained by the very best in the Navy. I'm sure she'd had the typical self-defense classes, but as far as fair fights went, this wouldn't be one.

"Alright, calm down there Mike Tyson," I said, moving past her towards the stairs with my hands up in surrender. "I think it's time we call it night."

Not taking her threat of physical violence seriously set her off like a rocket. She rushed towards her door swinging it open with such force I was surprised she didn't tear it off the hinges. She attempted to slam the door shut only to have it bounce back open as she let out a scream of frustration. Clearly, Jo had some anger management issues. I couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled out as I kick started my motorcycle, but if I'm being honest I didn't try very hard either.

"Goodnight Josephine," I called out, still laughing.

"Screw you Owen!" she yelled through her half open door.

I rode off towards my bungalow with a smile on my face. I didn't think I'd endeared myself to Jo too much tonight, but spending time with her had sure helped shake off some of the funk from my earlier encounter with Claire. As I parked my motorcycle and went inside I was struck with the realization that I liked spending time with Jo. It was easy, fun, natural and I'd never experienced anything like it before.

I wanted her to let me in, and I was willing to do just about anything to convince her.

* * *

 **Korraismygirl: I'm so very sorry for the delay. Don't hate me. Traveling is killing me and I don't have my home computer with me so updated is a no go until I'm home. Thanks for reading, it is much appreciated!  
**

 **Malfoy-Whitlock-21: I'm so glad you are enjoying the story. It's been fun to write. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **BlueEyedPisces: LOL! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. It means a lot!**

 **thakidisbac: Awesome! Thanks for reading, it keeps me going :)**

 **angelicedg: I'm so happy you like it. It is fun to write and the more I do it the easier it coming to me. It's weird how hard it is to write from a different perspective than the OC you created. Thanks for sticking with me!**

 **jahoney: You are correct that I am a woman, and you are also correct that I have to stop myself and adjust how I write something from a man's perspective. I appreciate all your in depth reviews, it helps. I'm flattered you showed the story to others and they liked it. If you can get me a job writing for a living I will owe you for life...that would be my dream come true!**

 **LynxOnSmoothies: Thank you for the review. I agree that sometimes Alpha males can get over-the-top assertive/dominate. I don't see Owen that way and I think you can write a strong male (and female lead) without them smothering all the other characters. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the latest!**


	4. Fight Club

**This chapter was a monster because it spans several chapters of the original story. I thought it was important to see all this from Owen's POV as it provides some pivotal insight and drives the characters actions going forward. Or, at least it's supposed to...I guess you guys will let me know if it succeeds :)  
**

 **On a side note, I was thinking of posting Before Jurassic World on WattPad and was wondering if anyone could offer some cover art help. The one I made is pretty pathetic so if anyone has some hidden talents in that area let me know...you guys are the best!**

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 **Chapter 4 – Fight Club**

As I'm sure most teenagers can attest, high school sports rivalries are intense affairs filled with a desire to decimate the opposing school so thoroughly it borders on irrational. Many of these rivalries are so deeply rooted they not only follow teenagers through to adulthood, they are passed down genetically to their children. This borderline clinical hatred for an entire population normally manifests itself in the form of pranks in which the stakes are progressively raised from one year to the next.

My high school was no different, and the soul searing hatred for the Westland High Raging Goats still lingers in my blood today. My junior year of high school our two schools met on the football field in a true clash of titans with the winner earning a coveted spot in the state playoffs. Since I was a captain for our team I took it upon myself to ensure victory by upping the practical joke ante to a level no mere mortal would ever be able to best.

The day before the big game I snuck into Westland High in the middle of the night, and relieved them of their living mascot, Gary the Goat. I loaded him in the back of my truck, took him home and planned to store him in our backyard until after the game. In hindsight, this plan was far from foolproof, but through the eyes of a 16-year-old, jacked up on adrenaline, it was flawless.

Well, flawless until the police showed up at my house the next afternoon politely inquiring if the goat in our backyard was in fact Gary, the Westland High School mascot. As it turns out, sneaking into Westland High and relocating Gary was a crime, two crimes if you wanted to get technical. As if that wasn't bad enough, Gary had decided to turn my mother's prized rose bushes into a midnight snack. By the time the police were done reading the list of offenses, and calling animal control to pick up Gary I was seriously considering begging them to take me with them less they leave me to the wrath of my mother. Considering my father was physically restraining her in order to keep her away from me I thought I'd be infinitely safer behind bars.

In the end, other than a summer spent cultivating my green thumb under my mother's "gentle" tutelage I got off unscathed. What I did learn was that I was impulsive by nature, a fact, which my mother was all too happy to nag me about while I was restoring her roses. Well, I called it nagging. She called it listening to what she said the first time. Anyways, common sense would dictate that as I've matured my impulsive tendencies would have diminished, but as it turns out my ability to simply react without thinking was as ingrained in my DNA as my hatred for Westland High School.

Over the years I decided to just own it. So I like to act without thinking? I think it's fun to be just as surprised by what I do as everyone else. Keeps things interesting, most of the time. However, today that mantra had backfired, slightly, because now I currently found myself feigning sleep on a beach less than two feet away from Jo. I noticed her earlier this morning settling in for what appeared to be a relaxing day spent lounging on the beach, and somehow, without even realizing it, I found myself sitting next to her. OK, if I was being honest I knew exactly how and why it happened. When I'd seen Jo lose her beach cover-up exposing her long, lean body clad in nothing more than a barely there bikini I felt my mouth go dry, and all available blood flow head due south. I hadn't thought about what I would say or even if it was socially acceptable to dive bomb someone else's day off, I simply reacted.

So here I was pretending to sleep while Jo mumbled the occasional curse or heaved a heavy sigh next to me. Faking a nap was the only way to ensure I didn't just ravish her right here on the beach. Which sounded fun, but broke a few laws and got sand in places sand should never, ever be. My evasive tactic did little to distract me from the fact the woman had a body made for sin, and the thoughts currently cycling through my brain were one step up from pornographic. I was starting to think my mother may have had a point about my impulsive nature. Maybe one day I'd address my unresolved issues; today I'd be satisfied if I managed not to drool when I looked at her.

I had to remember my promise; I would build a foundation with Jo first and foremost. I had an inkling that Jo didn't do relationships, and I wasn't willing to be just a one night stand. She needed to trust me, and in order to do that we needed some semblance of a friendship. Thus, my brilliant plan to spend my day off with her. What I hadn't accounted for was the overwhelming effort it took to be near her and not touch her.

Mercifully the shrill ringing of her cell phone interrupted my inner monologue. She answered curtly and promptly shot down the caller's request with a quick, no.

"Is that Hamada?" I asked my curiosity peaked.

"No," she answered. I clearly heard the caller shout my name, and I leaned so far over in my chair I almost fell out earning a reproachful glare from Jo. It was Hamada on the phone and he sounded panicked.

"Owen says no and so do I. Besides, what makes you think…" At the mention of my name again I snatched the phone out of Jo's hand, standing up and turning my back to her.

"Hey Hamada, it's Owen. What's up man?" I inquired. I could feel Jo's penetrating gaze drilling into my back and it took all my effort to focus on Hamada's words. He explained his predicament and in that moment I could think of nothing I'd rather do than assist with hand-to-hand combat. Anything to get off this beach with the scantily clad temptress standing behind me. "Sure thing. Give us about an hour and we'll be there."

I hung up the phone, turning around and tossing it back to Jo. She stood immobile, rooted in the sand with a furious expression plastered on her gorgeous face, as the phone went sailing past her and landed with a thud in the sand. I felt my lips twitch as I took in her in. Her fists were clenched at her sides, her brow was scrunched up, and she was breathing heavy. Oh, she was pissed, no doubt about that.

"Better get dressed; Hamada's expecting us within the hour. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to conduct hand-to-hand training in that," I commented, pointing to her bathing suit.

Truth be told, I wouldn't mind if she wore that thing 24/7 while it was just the two of us. But I knew firsthand the type of dickheads InGen recruited for security, and the thought of Jo prancing around in something that covered less than underwear made my blood pressure do funny things.

I saw her confidence falter as she misinterpreted my words, but before I could correct her she took a step forward, tilting her head back so she could look at me. It felt like the temperature on the beach simultaneously plummeted and rose as she got closer, and I was having a hard time remembering what we were talking about. I took a step towards her closing the distance even further, our chests almost touching. I could smell her vanilla shampoo and the nutty fragrance of the tanning lotion she'd applied that morning. It took willpower the likes of which I didn't know I possessed to resist the urge to bury my nose in her hair like a lunatic and inhale the intoxicating scent.

I saw her visibly struggle to swallow the lump in her throat and mentally high-fived myself. At least I wasn't the only one on the sexual struggle bus at the moment.

I couldn't stop the hitch in my own breathing as her eyes drifted down then up my body again. "Get dressed Jo. We got a class to teach." I quickly stepped around her and collected my things. I needed to put some distance between us and get my shit under control.

As I sat in my Jeep waiting for Jo to change so we could go open a can of whoopass on some InGen employees I struggled to come up with rational explanations for what this woman was doing to me. When she was around I was reduced to the mental capacity of an orangutan. I'd never had trouble around women before so this was a new, and not welcome, experience. I was self-aware enough to know that woman found me attractive. My years in the military had exposed me to my fair share of woman who simply used me for my looks, my body or a combination of both. When I was young, woman throwing themselves at me and a few nights of fun were enough to keep me content, but now those types of games didn't interest me.

Impatient to quash this line of thought and get to the training arena I laid on the horn. What I needed was a healthy dose of man the fuck up. Almost immediately Jo exited her camper, slinging a Camelback over her shoulder. She had changed into a pair of long, skin tight, spandex pants that ended just below her knee and a long sleeved Under Armor shirt that while technically consisted of more fabric than her bathing suit left nothing to the imagination. Her long hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun with small strands of brownish blonde hair falling around her face.

As she approached the Jeep I briefly closed my eyes and asked for some kind of divine intervention to get me through this. It would appear it made no difference if she was wearing a bathing suit or a garbage bag as far as my dick was concerned. I was convinced this woman's superpower was reducing me to a quivering mass of uncontrollable hormones. Jesus, I was such a little bitch.

"Didn't know you knew how to drive anything other than your bike," she quipped as she climbed into the Jeep.

"Motorcycle. A bike is something a kids rides," I retorted, my tone clipped. Her little jab at my motorcycle was hardly registering on my radar at this point, but two could play at this game. "Besides, if you want to wrap your arms around my waist we don't need a motorcycle to do that."

I let my eyes travel the length of her body suggestively as her eyes widened in surprise. She tore her gaze from mine and started fidgeting with the air vents muttering a, "Just drive."

I shot her a satisfied grin as I peeled out of her driveway heading towards the training arena. The drive to the park was uneventful save for the startled curses and exaggerated hand gestures from Jo. Who knew she was such a Nervous Nelly?

"Doesn't bat an eyelash at a raptor, but loses her breakfast from a car ride. Interesting," I said walking past her as she tumbled out of the Jeep practically dry heaving.

"You drive like a demented Ms. Daisy! Your license should be revoked."

People are always complaining about my driving, and my response was always the same, did you die? She caught up to me as we walked towards headquarters sporadically passing different people I was acquainted with along the way. I offered up the typical 'hello' or 'how are you' as appropriate, but I noticed Jo remained silent, seeming to not know anyone. Now that I thought about it, other than Hamada, I wasn't sure she knew anyone.

We made our way onto the elevator and I pressed the button for the basement level. The elevator made a chirping noise, and the key card scanner illuminated awaiting authorization. I looked to Jo expectantly as she smirked, whipping out an ID card and scanning it.

"Mr. Grady doesn't have authorization to enter the basement?" she asked sarcastically, covering her mouth.

"Of course I do, I just wanted to know if you did." She pouted, crossing her arm over her chest and turning her attention forward.

"You seem pretty popular around here."

"Jealous?" I taunted.

"Hardly," she responded, not taking the bait. We exited the elevator and I steered us towards the arena where Hamada was anxiously waiting.

Jo's eyes went wide at the sight, "Wow, this place is better than 24 Hour Fitness."

I glanced down at her as her eyes traveled over the various features Simon had taken the liberty of outfitting. I'd say one thing for that man, he spared no expense. When he'd approached me a few months after my arrival and asked for my input in building this training site I'd expected pushback on any, if not all, of the equipment. I was surprised when he not only approved everything I'd asked for; he'd even added some extras. Obviously, he had more money than he knew what to do with because I was pretty sure half this stuff never got used. There were rich people and then there was Simon.

I spotted Hamada jogging up to us looking relieved we were finally here. I wondered what he would have done if Jo hadn't answered her phone?

"Thanks for doing this guys. I really appreciate it," Hamada said, offering me his hand, which I shook in greeting.

"I missed the part where there was a choice," Jo quipped.

This woman was about a subtle as a gynecologist wearing a gas mask.

"Ignore her. What's the plan?" I directed at Hamada as Jo shot daggers at me.

Hamada's eyebrows rose into his hairline, but he ignored our verbal taekwondo match, turning and walking towards the mats lining the center of the arena.

"I'm going to use you two to demonstrate several offensive and defensive maneuvers by the numbers while I explain it as we go," Hamada said, glancing between the two of us. "We'll then break them up into teams to practice with us monitoring and calling out adjustments as needed."

"Works for me. The faster we get going the faster I can get out of here," Jo said shrugging.

I nodded somewhat hesitantly as I glanced at Jo out of the corner of my eye. The thought of going up against her in hand-to-hand combat, even if it was by the numbers, didn't sit well with me. She looked almost delicate next to me. Well, delicate until she opened her mouth. Hamada didn't have any reservations as he turned, calling the group of 20 InGen employees together.

"Alright everyone knock it off, we're ready to get started. We are going to cover some basic and advanced hand-to-hand moves today. Owen Grady and Josephine King are going to assist." Hamada pointed over to us as he spoke. "Owen is former Navy and current trainer for the Velociraptor program."

All at once the eyes in the room swung towards me as the InGen employees attempted to size me up. My history with the Navy ensured most people assumed I knew how to handle myself. My affiliation with the raptors firmly planted me in the "this guy's mentally unstable" camp. In real life these two attributes are not all that handy, but when instructing hand-to-hand combat it was the equivalent of hitting the jackpot.

"Jo is former Army and F.B.I., and is overseeing security at the park. Listen to what they have to say because they know what they're doing," Hamada finished.

I couldn't keep the surprise off my face as I looked at Jo. I'd always known she wasn't your ordinary woman, but the fact she was former military and F.B.I. was a shock to be sure. I was quickly reassessing my stance on us being mismatched now that I had a little insight into her background. At the very least I was interrogating her further at the conclusion of our WWE SmackDown.

I heard a few murmurs rush through the ranks as Hamada spoke. For her part, Jo looked like a general inspecting her troops with her spine stiff and her face impassive. I could tell this wasn't the first time her qualifications were scrutinized before a group of men who felt they were superior simply due to anatomy. Given her former employment I'd be willing to wager it happened on a daily basis.

With introductions finished the two of us turned to face each other as Hamada began outlining the first of many basic tactics. I was designated the aggressor, so for every offensive move I employed Jo retaliate in time with a defensive maneuver according to Hamada's instructions.

If I thought sitting next to her half naked on the beach was a test of wills it was nothing compared to this. The sheer logistics of hand-to-hand combat required I touch parts of her body that were literally threatening to short-circuit my brain. I could feel every inch of her pressed up against me as our hands became intimately familiar with each others body. She was all soft curves and lithe movements to my hard edges and brute force. We were moving around the mat in a synchronized dance that my dick was all too eager to remind me would work well in the bedroom. Our bodies simply fit together, and I swear I almost hugged Hamada when he called for the first break so the guys could practice the moves with their partners.

Jo and I stood still, staring at each other for a moment before we both simultaneously turned and stalked off in opposite directions. Most of the pairs had decent enough form, but it was glaringly obvious that InGen was cutting some serious corners when it came to recruiting security. Most of these guys lacked the rudimentary hand-to-hand skills necessary to subdue a toddler who was cranky after missing an afternoon nap much less act as a resident security force on an island inhabited by prehistoric dinosaurs. What's worse is some of them actually thought they knew what they were doing, and that was dangerous.

After about twenty minutes Hamada called the group back together to introduce another, slightly more advanced, technique. Jo stood with her back pressed against my chest as Hamada outlined how she was going to break the chokehold I was about to put her in. I took a calming breath as I wrapped my arm around her throat, hooking it under her chin. I blame what happened next on an old fashion misunderstanding.

"Just let me know if you need me to ease up here, OK?" I whispered softly, my lips brushing up against her ear as I tightened my hold on her throat. Her hands instinctively wrapped around my forearms pulling down in an attempt to lessen the hold and create a pathway for air. Her entire body was pressed against mine as our height difference forced her on her tiptoes.

I felt her shiver, either at my words or my accidental brush of her ear I'm not sure, but I couldn't help the satisfied smile the response elicited. At this point the entire exercise ran completely off the rails. I hadn't meant for the encounter to sound so chauvinistic or sexual, and in my defense practically kissing her ear was an accident brought on by sheer proximity. Did I enjoy the response it got out of her? Yes, yes I did. So, sue me.

I didn't get the chance to rectify the situation because as soon as Hamada finished his explanation of the maneuver Jo was a blur of motion. One second I had her firmly pinned and the next I felt a sharp pain slam into my foot. My right foot shot up off the ground in response, but before I could recover I felt her elbow strike my stomach knocking the air out of my lungs with an "Ompf".

The consecutive assaults caused my arm to loosen, but I was confident I still had a decent enough hold on her. Per the norm these days, she proved me wrong yet again as she twisted and ducked with the grace of a prima ballerina completely releasing herself from my hold. I blindly reached out for her with my left hand, but she effortlessly sidestepped my advance. Dancing to the side she used my momentum against me as she twisted my arm up and over her head while simultaneously dropping down on one knee.

I was unable to stop my momentum as I felt my body tumble forward. Jo twisted my arm causing me to flip ass over teakettle, my back hitting the mat with a loud slap. For the second time in less than 30 seconds the wind was knocked from my lungs. As I lay on the mat unsuccessful trying to suck in oxygen I remarked on how quiet the gym currently was, and wondered if I should try to get up and find my balls. Nothing's more humbling than getting your ass kicked in front of witnesses.

"Let me know if you need any help getting up, OK?" Jo said sweetly, peering down at me.

Hamada cleared his throat, yelling for everyone to pair up and get to work. Jo smiled brightly before heading off towards a table that held towels and bottles of water. It took more effort than I'd like to admit, but I was able to scrape myself off the mats. I considered scrounging around for my dignity, but was pretty sure it was a moot point.

"That was mean," I told Jo as I reached for my own water. Truth be told, I wasn't upset about her little display. I was impressed. Clearly, I had underestimated Jo. That was a mistake I would never make again.

"You deserved it."

Probably.

Jo winked at me as she made her way back out into the groups studiously trying, and failing, to recreate what they had just witnessed. I was adjusting the chokehold on one pair when I heard voracious laughter erupt a few groups away. I saw Jo whirl around with murder in her eyes. The guy she was addressing had his back to me, but clearly he hadn't been paying attention when Jo was handing me my ass earlier. She was undoubtedly a woman not to be trifled with.

"I was just saying that if you ever want to blow off some steam I got about eight inches in my pants you can start with sweetheart," he responded, complete with some self explanatory hand gestures.

Hamada seem to realize the situation the same time I did as we both starting making our way towards Jo. She seemed to be debating the merit of bitch slapping the guy, but must have decided he was too much of an oxygen thief to worry about because she turned away without addressing him further.

I saw the guy lift his hand intending to slap Jo on the ass and my blood boiled in my veins. He was going to die; it was just a matter of how at this point. Before I could reach him Jo spun around, quickly grabbing his hand at a pressure point. She wrenched his arm up and back, forcing him to his knees as he cried out, "You bitch! Let me go!"

She released his hand, stepping back just as I planted myself in front of her. The guy looked up from his spot on the floor and paled slightly as he saw me, but continued to hurl insults at Jo.

"I suggest you calm down," I hissed at him, every fiber of my being was pleading with him to make a move.

He got to his feet ignoring my threat as he peered around me at Jo. "You landed a lucky shot. I guarantee you in a fair fight I would smoke your ass."

My muscles felt ready to snap, and I took a step towards him. I may have appeared somewhat calm to the casual observer, but on the inside I'd already maimed this guy three times. I was now ready to make it official, but before I could Jo stepped forward.

"You think you can take me Cole? Prove it," she spit at him.

Here I was, only hours ago, thinking that out of the two of us I was the impulsive one. Boy, had I been wrong. The entire time I'd been taping her knuckles and helping her into her MMA gloves I'd attempted to talk Jo out of this harebrained scheme, but she was like a dog with a bone. I agreed 100% this guy needed his ass handed to him, but he was a few fries short of a Happy Meal so stepping into an unsanctioned fight on our day off wasn't really the best idea.

"Do you have any self-preservation instincts?" I questioned as she stepped back flexing her fingers in the gloves a few times, bouncing up and down on her toes.

"Not really."

It was official. She was crazy.

"That guy is unhinged and has about 60 pounds on you."

She looked utterly unfazed by my proclamation. "If this is your idea of a pep talk I gotta tell you, it needs work."

I grabbed her by the shoulders almost shaking her in an attempt to get her to take this seriously. "Goddamnit Jo, this isn't a joke!"

"I know this isn't a joke. That guy is batshit crazy, believe me, I know. He shouldn't even be on this island. I can handle myself," she barked, shaking out of my hold as she narrowed her eyes.

Hamada jogged up, stopping to glance between the two of us clearly not knowing how to handle the tension. "Jo, you don't have to do this. I'm pretty sure with Rogers' behavior today I have enough of finally give him his walking papers."

Jo rolled her eyes, throwing her arms into the air in exasperation. "Not you too Hamada. Does anyone think I can win this fight?" She eyed both of us, daring us to voice our doubts. "You aren't giving this guy his walking paper's Hamada, I am. I don't care what goes down. Don't' stop this fight."

As the three of us made our way towards the mat it was clear that Cole had seen one too many UFC fights. He was running around the impromptu circle formed by the rest of the employees occasionally shouting or throwing punches into the air. He looked like a complete asshole.

Jo stepped into the center of the mat and calmly listened as Hamada outline the rules for this illegal cage match.

"Hey man, you want in on the action?" one of the InGen guys asked apparently having taken up the role of the bookie.

I kept one eye on Jo as I asked, "What are the odds?"

"6 to 1 Cole wins by a landslide," he answered with a laugh.

I cut my eyes to his and his laughter died in his throat. "Were you guys watching earlier? She's no amateur."

"I know, but I just figured she caught you off guard. Besides, Cole's a beast."

I was now certain there was no IQ requirement to work security at InGen. Jo's initial assault on me earlier may have caught me slightly unawares, but I'd recovered quickly and tried to respond, but hadn't been able to in time. She'd beaten me fair and square.

"Put $20 on Jo," I told the guy. He seemed surprised, but scribbled it down and continued making his way through the crowd.

Hamada was apparently done reading from the rulebook, and had no sooner stepped off the mat before Cole charged at Jo. He clumsily swung his right arm around telegraphing his intentions. I knew Jo would have plenty of time to avoid the blow, but I couldn't stop the twisting feeling in my gut at the thought of her hurt. She easily ducked under his arm slamming her fists into his kidney with a blistering one-two punch as she passed by.

Jo pivoted around taking up her fighting stance as Cole reared around to face her, gingerly touching his kidney. He looked capable of physical harm as he assessed the damage Jo had inflicted on him in just a few seconds. He came at her again a mass of flailing arms, an obnoxious battle cry and no technique. He may have had no training, but what he did have was pure, unadulterated rage. He set free a barrage of lefts and rights that had my heart pounding so loud I was sure everyone in the gym would be able to hear it. My fists were clenched so tightly at my side my knuckles ached.

Jo ducked and countered connecting strike after strike with his face and body. His right eye was already cut and blood was oozing down his face, but thus far he'd been unable to land a single blow on her. She was a vision out on the mat; a perfect combination of grace, power and technique. As the one-sided match continued I could tell Cole was tiring. Jo was making him chase her around the mat, and his hulking form was fatiguing quickly as time wore on.

Jo seemed to be waiting for something as she danced around him landing a heel strike to his calf before jabbing him in rapid succession in his already bloodied eye. She was playing with him and I felt a smile tug at my lips as I watched her. Cole was clearly exhausted at this point, and I noticed his hands slip down to chest height just before Jo assaulted his midsection with two quick left handed jabs. Cole crumpled into himself in an attempt to protect his body leaving his head vulnerable as a result. I knew what she was waiting for now and he'd just given her an opening. She was about to end this fight.

Jo reared back, delivering a punishing uppercut that sent Cole stumbling back in a daze. He tripped, falling onto his back and didn't get up. I tipped my head back and laughed as Hamada patted me on the shoulder smiling. Jo was defiantly a force to be reckoned with.

Panting slightly Jo made her way over to him, and offered her hand to help him up. I thought she was going above and beyond at this point. I'd have left the bastard on the floor to rot. He seemed to debate accepting her help for a few seconds before grabbing her hand as she hoisted him back on his feet.

As soon as his feet were under him he swung a brutal right hook that connected with the side of Jo's face with a sickening crunch. The force of the blow snapped her head back as she went down on her back hard.

"Jo!" I shouted as I attempted to make my way onto the mat. Hamada physically restrained me, urgently reminding me about our promise to not stop the fight.

"I don't give a fuck about that," I yelled at him. "Look at what's going on out there."

Cole was on top of Jo raining down punch after punch as she attempted to protect herself as best she could from such a vulnerable position.

"Just wait," Hamada told me, still attempting to keep me off the mat. "Trust me, I know her. She can handle this."

I couldn't understand how he could stand by utterly calm as Jo took a beating not five feet from us. Not for the first time I wondered what these two had been through together?

I turned my attention back to the mat just in time to see Cole deliver a hammer fist to Jo's mouth with such force a gush of blood rushed down her chin as a cut opened up. I was just about to throw Hamada off me when I saw her start to move.

To the untrained eye it looked like she was accomplishing very little by planting her right foot on the ground close to her own hip, but I saw it for what it was, she was going on the offensive. In order for it to work she'd have to be fast and precise. Cole had her essentially pinned down and outweighed her by enough she'd need the element of surprise to be successful.

It happened fast, she placed her left foot on Cole's hip while bucking her hips up and backwards creating the precious space she needed. Cole was oblivious to the change as he continued to rain down punches firmly seized by bloodlust, and Jo used it to her advantage. In a motion so fast it was hard to track, and was only accomplished by years of practice, she used the foot positioned at his hip to push him back. He was immediately dislodged from on top of her as he pitched backwards, eyes wide with shock.

Jo wasted no time, grabbing his right forearm as he attempting to restrain her again. She executed a roll to the side, positioning his arm between her legs as she held onto his wrist. Her legs were now firmly planted over his chest with her right thigh pinned just below his chin locking in the arm bar submission. She leaned backwards with his arm firmly in between her legs using his chest as a fulcrum, arching her hips as she pulled his wrist towards her chest.

Having experienced an arm bar submission myself this was right about the time you tapped out or broke your arm. It was simply physics and rest of the men in the room were shouting at Cole to tap out. Jo stopped moving, but didn't release her hold.

"Tap out Cole. It's over," she told him, straining.

"Go to hell you mother fucker."

Not exactly how'd I'd address someone who was currently in a position capable of removing an appendage, but to each their own.

Jo arched her hips up as far as she could at the same time as she pulled back on the arm she had pinned. I felt myself cringe as the pressure visibly built in his joint; this guy was just too stupid to live. Cole convulsed violently right before an audible snap reverberated through the room signaling the tendons and ligaments in his arm had torn free, dislocating the joint at the elbow. An agonizing scream erupted from his lips as he battled the pain while trying to remain immobile.

Jo immediately released him, rolling to the side. I surged forward, physically removing anyone who was in my path as I made a beeline for Jo. In the background Cole was hurling obscenities at her as he was carried out of the gym.

When I reached her she was still sprawled out on the mat as she gingerly touched her face trying to assess the damage Cole had inflicted. The sight of her beaten and bloody almost made me throw up on the spot. I hauled her onto her feet quickly, ignoring her gasp of surprise.

Placing my hands softly on the sides of her face I slowly turned her head left, then right, examining the damage. The guilt in my gut weighed heavily on me as bitter acid built in the back of my throat. Her face was a myriad of black, blue and yellow as the bruises took shape. Her lip was cut, but didn't look like it would require medical attention as the bleeding had already stopped. My hands drifted over every cut and bruise as I tortured myself with the knowledge that this was my fault. I was the one who'd agreed to help, I was the one who'd crashed her lazy Saturday off and made her come here. I felt physical ill at the thought.

"That was the hardest thing I've ever had to watch," I admitted, swallowing back the bile in my throat.

"I thought I did pretty well all things considered."

She was trying to alleviate my concerns and I appreciated the effort, but it wasn't going to work. I didn't think I'd ever be able to erase the scene of her on the ground being beaten or the sight of the aftermath. I feared it was seared into my brain permanently, and knew it would fuel plenty a nightmare in the future. I silently vowed to do anything and everything in my power to keep her from something like this in the future.

Her face softened as she took in my pained state. She gently placed her gloved hands against my chest, lightly curling her fingers around my shirt. "I'm OK Owen," she reassured me. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and felt some tension leave my body.

"Jesus Jo, I forgot how terrifying you could be," Hamada remarked as he joined us. Needing to do something I systematically starting taking off her gloves and hand wraps. When I finished she cautiously probed the cut on her lip, wiping away the excess blood. She pressed her fingers to her temples in an attempt to stave off the headache that had to building.

"I'll wait for you at the car?" she asked me. I nodded in response and she turned to Hamada. "I want my money."

I watched her retreat towards the exit before turning to Hamada who was already handing over a wad of cash.

"I'm not sure how to feel about all this," I admitted as I examined the cash. I felt equal parts proud and disgusted with what had occurred today. "Did anyone other than me bet on her?"

Hamada eyed me critically, "You seem to genuinely care about her so I'm going to let you in on something. To say Jo's had a difficult past would be an understatement. I've known her for years and she's only told me bits and pieces, mostly by accident." He sighed heavily, a faraway look in his eyes. "I won't betray her trust by telling you anything. Whatever she decides to tell you is her decision, but she's not someone who trusts easily so if you aren't serious about being a part of her life, whatever that may look like, leave her alone."

"I'm serious," I told him without hesitation.

He nodded his head before continuing. "I thought so, but you need to know that it won't be easy by any stretch of the imagination. She's not use to having people to depend on, who care about her, so she'll push you away. She'll try to leave you so you don't have the chance to abandon her. Just take it slow OK? I know I sound like some overprotective brother, but she'll need time to process everything that's happening."

I stopped walking, glancing at Hamada. "What exactly do you think is happening?"

"Please, don't insult my intelligence. When the two of you get together I swear the atmosphere in the room changes. I've never seen anything like it and frankly it makes me nauseous. She's like a sister to me." We continued walking towards the car as I pondered Jo and Hamada's friendship. It went deep, that was for sure. "Just make sure you do right by her or I'll make sure you disappear."

I stopped abruptly checking to see if Hamada was serious. He was facing me, stone faced, no traces of humor in his eyes. I nodded briskly and he returned the gesture before turning to leave.

Before he could walk away I called out to him, "Why didn't you bet on Jo?" Hamada seemed to have absolute faith in her so the fact I was the only one to put my money where my mouth was struck me as odd.

He smirked, "Because I knew it wasn't a contest. It didn't seem fair to take my men's money when I knew for a fact she'd wipe the floor with him." I couldn't help the huge smile his statement provoked.

I slowly made my way to my Jeep as I observed Jo with her feet up on my dash, her eyes closed. Her cuts and bruises looked even worse in the glaring afternoon sun, if that was possible. I deposited our bags into the backseat before climbing in and handing her the cash.

"Here, you earned it."

She cracked her eyes open, turning to observe the roll of cash. She attempted to smile, but grimaced when the cut on her lip reopened. My grip on the steering wheel tightened, but I remained silent as she studiously counted every bill.

"Did anyone bet on me?" she asked sounding slightly offended.

"I did." I didn't tell her that Hamada hadn't wagered simply because he knew the outcome was never in question. His faith in her was unshakeable.

"Technically as the fighter I'm entitled to a share of your winnings, you know?"

She was trying to lighten the mood and I appreciated the effort, but I wasn't ready to joke about it. Hell, I'd probably never be ready to joke about it because it simply wasn't funny. It didn't take long for Jo to succumb to exhaustion in the passenger seat as we made our way home.

"Hey, we're here," I said, gently shaking her awake outside her camper. She was momentarily disoriented before rubbing her eyes and climbing out of the Jeep. I saw her wince as she pulled her backpack out of the backseat and I swear I felt the pain too. I didn't want to let her out of my sight so I made yet another impulsive decision.

"Have dinner with me."

I wasn't positive I'd said it out loud at first because she simply turned and looked at me with a blank expression on her face.

"Huh?" she asked confused. I exited the Jeep and made my way over to her.

"I asked if you would have dinner with me tonight," I clarified. "You know food, sustenance, something other than potato chips."

I thought the potato chip quip would get a reaction out of her, but she looked even more confused. If I didn't know better I'd wager she couldn't understand why I'd asked her out.

"You want to have dinner? With me? Tonight?" I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing she was so adorable. I knew if I made her feel stupid she'd shoot me down and probably never talk to me again. Jo was normally nothing but 100% confident in everything she did so to see her fumbling with a simple dinner invitation was mesmerizing.

"Yes."

She hesitated only slightly before answering with a soft, "OK."

"See you at seven o'clock Jo. Make sure you put some ice on your face," I smiled at her as I retreated back to my Jeep.

I know Hamada had told me I needed to take it slow when it came to Jo, and that was exactly what I intended to do. This dinner would simply be a chance for the two of us to spend time together and get comfortable. As much as I wanted it to be more I knew Jo wasn't ready for that so I needed to keep the brakes firmly pressed tonight, no matter what.

I spent the rest of the afternoon prepping for dinner. I was outside at the grill flipping the steaks when I noticed Jo standing halfway between our houses. She was standing in the grass talking to herself and I smiled despite myself. I watched her continue her internal debate before shaking her head briefly and taking a few tentative steps forward only to abruptly stop, and repeating the entire process. It was the funniest thing I'd witnessed in a while. I decided to give her some privacy as she struggled with her walk and turned back to the grill. A few minutes later I heard her climbing the porch steps.

"I was wondering if you were going to make it over here," I teased.

"Well, I'm here. What's on the menu?"

"I'm just finishing up with the steaks. I already have the salad, bread and homemade macaroni and cheese on the table. Hope that's OK?" I was really hoping Jo was a woman who actual ate. It would be sacrilege to waste my mom's macaroni and cheese.

"Yeah, that sounds delicious," she beamed at me. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Nah, I got it. Just take a seat and pour yourself some wine if you want."

She poured us both a glass of red wine as I grabbed the steaks off the grill, setting one in front of Jo. Her eyes went wide and I swear I saw drool.

"Did you make all of this?" she asked.

"Yeah, but don't be too impressed. It's just steak and salad. Now the macaroni and cheese is another story. That's my mom's recipe. Go ahead, dig in," I told her, gesturing to the table.

She wasted no time heaping out generous portions of everything onto her plate. She was practically shoveling the food into her mouth, and I wondered if she ever ate anything other than her potato chip sandwiches. I was overcome with crushing desire to care for her, even though I was sure she'd hate the idea. She abruptly stopped eating when she realized I was watching her.

"Were you not serious when you said it was time to eat?" she asked, her voice small. She visibly shrank in her seat, dropping her eyes to the table. It was such an instant transformation I blinked a few times to verify what I was seeing. Hamada's words regarding Jo's past rang through my head, and I suddenly realized the gravity of what he'd divulged. I didn't recognize the person sitting in front of me, but something dark and hidden within her had caused this drastic transformation. I absolutely hated it.

In an effort to break her free from whatever was haunting her I reached across the table, lifting her chin. "I'm sorry Jo. Yes, please eat. I wasn't, I just…the women I've shared meals with normally just push their food around the plate while they prattle on about this diet or that. It's just refreshing to see someone actually eating, especially since I slaved over this all afternoon."

My speech seemed to do the trick because she smiled tentatively before picking up her fork and continuing with her food. I joined her and we settled into an easy conversation. I told her about my parents, my brother, joining the Navy, and even how I came to work at Jurassic World. She was a good listener and I found myself willing to share almost anything with her.

"What about you? Is your family terrified knowing you work with dinosaurs?" I inquired. I was genuinely intrigued by her and found I wanted to know anything and everything.

She looked away from me, running her hands through her hair. I had the distinct feeling she was stalling, but wasn't sure why.

"Um…well. No, not really," she stuttered.

"Care to elaborate?" I didn't want to push her too far, but I wanted her to know she was safe with me. She could trust me, if she wanted to.

She bit her lip as she searched my face assessing the wisdom of opening herself up to me. "I mean, I don't have any family so I don't have to worry about anyone not liking the idea of me being here."

"You have no family?" I probed. Suddenly, the bits and pieces of Jo seemed to be falling into place before my eyes.

"No, I have no family. I was orphaned at birth and grew up in the foster care system in Houston. I aged out when I was 18, and had to do something to get off the street so I put myself through college by joining ROTC, eventually serving in the Army. When I was done with that the F.B.I. came calling."

She finished in a rush, sitting back awaiting my reaction. I had the distinct impression she was use to people shunning her or feeling sorry for her after. I was feeling neither as I gazed at the incredible woman sitting in front of me.

"You're amazing," I admitted.

Her brows furrowed at my admission. "Thank you." She said it more like a question and I smiled back at her.

"So, you were holding out on me." I knew peeling back the layers of her past tonight was a bad idea so I decided to steer the conversation back to safer ground. "Former Army and F.B.I., I guess you really are a little G.I. Jane."

"First of all, I'm not a little anything," she bristled.

And just like that the self-assured, take no shit Jo was back. We talked for a few more hours about our respective military service and my childhood. It was nice to confide in someone who understood what it was like to serve a purpose greater than themselves. She seemed to particularly love the stories regarding my childhood, and I could only guess it was because of all the experiences she'd missed out on.

I could tell she was hurting from today so I walked her towards the edge of my property. "I had a great time tonight Owen, thanks," she told me smiling.

"How's your face feeling?" I questioned as I examined her.

"It's not as bad as it looks. Nothing some Motrin and a bag of frozen peas can't fix."

That was a load of bullshit.

"If I never have to watch you take a beating like that again it will be too soon," I told her, taking a step closer.

She sucked in a breath; her eyes darting down to my lips then back up again. "I think I did most of the beating thank you very much."

"That you did Josephine."

I had every intention of keeping this dinner as platonic as possible, but something about Jo disarmed me in the best way possible. Hamada's warnings to take it slow evaporated into mist as I closed the distance between us, brushing my lips against hers.

It felt like I was dying a slow, sweet death as she responded, kissing me back. I gently grabbed her hips pulling her against me until our bodies were flush. It was torture having her so close yet still so far away. I was overpowered with the need to worship her body as her hands drifted around my neck. She smelled faintly of vanilla and the sea, and I knew if I let myself I could get lost in her forever.

She moaned lightly as my tongue slid across her lips and that was all it took to snap me out of the trance. What the fuck was I doing? I had promised myself I would take this slow. I would earn her trust and show her that I wanted more than a quick tumble in the sheets. She had trusted me tonight with secrets she almost never disclosed if Hamada was to be believed, and here I was taking advantage of the situation. I felt sick with disgust.

Abruptly I pulled back stepping away from her. She looked confused at the sudden change in my mood, but didn't press the issue. I shoved my hands in my pockets, muttering an unintelligible goodnight as I turned to leave.

The look of utter betrayal on her face felt like a knife twisting deep in my gut. I was suddenly reminded of the old adage, you can't unring a bell. I hoped with every fiber of my being that wasn't true.

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 **LynxOnSmoothies: Thanks for the great review! I'm glad seeing things from Owen's perspective makes things clearer in regards to the original story. I hope you enjoyed the fight scene and aftermath from his viewpoint as well. It was a whooper of a chapter. Thanks for reading!**

 **Korraismygirl: Traveling for work is the worst and I don't have my personal computer when I do, hence the delay. So sorry (again) :) That is so sweet of you to say that I could get published. I would LOVE that...what a dream come true to do something like this for a living. I can dream, right? Hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for reading!**

 **thakidiscbac: Your review gives me life :) I'm glad you are enjoying the story and thanks so much for reading/reviewing!**

 **BlueEyedPisces: Guess what, I spelled Pisces right the first time...go me! Travel is the worst, but I'm suffering through it with as much dignity as my twin toddlers handle sharing. Anyways, I'm so glad you liked the date. It was a hoot to write as I just imagined all the awful things anyone's every experienced on a date. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
**

 **jahoney: Writing from an Alpha male perspective is different, but if I need guidance I just look to my husband for inspiration...LOL! I'm glad you enjoyed the date. I hope the fight scene and aftermath lived up to the hype. Thanks for sticking with me, it is very much appreciated!**

 **angelicedg: Thanks! I loved that last line too. I feel like it really embodies Owen's feelings towards Jo in general. I hope you liked this chapter, it's a lot to take in, but I felt like seeing it all play out through his eyes was crucial. Hopefully you feel the same :) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing...it keeps me going.**


	5. Righting Wrongs

**This one's for MySoxRockXD. You're my cover art guru and my Wattpad homey!**

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 **Chapter 5 – Righting Wrongs**

If I was to make a list of things I thought I'd never do attending a beach bonfire would make the top ten hands down. No self-respecting person over the age of 25 should be within 100 feet of such an event on pure principle.

Or so I thought.

Judging by the sheer number of people littering the beach at the moment no one shared my worldviews on the subject. It looked like everyone on the island was currently getting shitfaced on the beach courtesy of Marco's trashcan punch, which for the record should come with a warning label.

My first experience with Marco's signature creation came not more than a month after I arrived on Isla Nublar. I mistakenly believed the iron stomach I'd cultivated through years of alcohol consumption in the Navy had adequately prepared me to consume 20 different liquors and a splash of fruit juice. What I discovered was there was no tolerance, in the world, high enough to withstand the onslaught brought on by that devil juice. To this day I still had no idea how I'd ended up butt naked outside the T-Rex paddock the morning after ingesting four cups of that poison.

I slowly made my way down the winding dirt path that led to the beach, my eyes raking over the faces of everyone I passed. I knew Jo was here, but for the life of me I had no idea why. She struggled with basic human interactions most of the time so the idea of her at a raging beach party more suited for teenagers was a mystery. As I made the rounds through the different groups spread across the beach I staunchly avoided the multiple offers for the punch. I needed a cup of that like I needed an STD.

I wasn't sure surprising Jo in whatever dubious plan she was currently plotting was a good idea, but I passed desperate about a week ago. After the disastrous ending to our otherwise perfect dinner date I'd thought the best course of action was to give her some space. Somehow a few days of space had morphed into hardly seeing her for a month.

I didn't go out of my way to avoid seeing her, but it seemed like life kept us apart all the same. When I was home she never was, when I went to headquarters she was out inspecting paddocks, when I finally managed to make it to a department head meeting she was noticeable absent having been summoned by Simon. It seemed fate was doing her fair share to stick it to me, and I couldn't even get mad because everything that was happening was my fault.

It was almost a month after "the incident", as I'd taken to calling it, when I finally laid eyes on her again. The mere sight of her standing next to Barry on the paddock catwalk was like a punch to the gut. The need to pull her aside and beg forgiveness in an attempt to explain myself was tangible, but the overpowering need to keep Hoskins' schizophrenic ass away from her took precedence. If I thought the way he leered at her was bad it was nothing compared to the way his face transformed once he realized exactly who she was. In my experience dealing with Hoskins I'd discovered he had absolutely no redeeming qualities, but the guy had the market cornered on crazy and he wasn't afraid to use it. Unfortunately, by the time I'd stashed him in my office with enough reports on the girls to keep him busy for a decade Jo was gone.

Two days later I was still trying to figure out how to remove Hoskins from my island and my life. Granting the man unfettered access to the girl's progress reports was like handing a drug addict a bag of heroine. He refused to leave the paddock, much less the island, and now considered himself an expert in all things Velociraptor. I was convinced my life couldn't get worse. In hindsight, I should have known better than to tempt fate with such a proclamation because not more than a minute later my cell phone rang.

"Grady."

"Owen, it's Hamada. You need to get to headquarters, now."

I could hardly hear Hamada's clipped words over the chaos taking place in the background. Alarms were blaring, I could hear people shouting, and every so often Hamada would shout an order to someone. I had no idea what had happened, but I'd bet my life Jo was right in the middle of it. I felt my stomach bottom out at the thought.

"Is she OK?" I didn't even try to hide the break in my voice. I was scared shitless right now.

Hamada sighed. "Physically she's fine. There was an active shooter incident in one of the labs. Jo was a first responder; hell she was the only responder if you want to get technical. The guy killed two people, another is critical, but it doesn't look good."

"Jesus." I was already on my way to my motorcycle. Barry had taken one look at my face and just mouthed 'Go'. I didn't need to be told twice.

"Exactly. I know things are shit between you two right now, but she's going to need you. Whether she knows it or not." He muttered the last part so quietly I almost missed it.

"I'm leaving now." How he knew the status of my relationship with Jo was a topic best left for another time.

"Owen, there's something you need to know," Hamada told me. He must have moved away from the mayhem because it was quieter now. I felt my anxiety levels hurdle past tense and close in on freaked the fuck out. "Jo was the one who took out the shooter."

I closed my eyes, rubbing my hand over my face. If Jo had killed the shooter she'd had no other option, and would be cleared of any wrongdoing. I believed that with the certainty I believed the sun would rise tomorrow. Too bad neither of us were worried about the legality of her actions. It was the emotional and mental aftermath that I knew concerned us both. For someone who tried to close herself off from the world, Jo felt everything with an intensity that was unmatched. She'd feel personally responsible for every life that had been lost today.

"I'll be there in 15 minutes."

Despite my best intentions, I hadn't been able to help Jo that day. By the time I got to headquarters she was so far gone inside her own head she looked like a drowning man desperately searching for a life preserver. I almost had to shake her to get her attention as she relentlessly pounded on a heavy bag in the gym. Her hair and clothes were soaked with sweat, her knuckles were raw and bleeding, and her eyes looked dead as she stared straight through me. She looked defeated, lost, and it absolutely killed me.

It was the look of a person who was wrestling with demons so dark and deeply rooted in their soul they couldn't fathom letting anyone in for fear the demons would consume them as well. I desperately wanted to tell her she didn't need to shield me from anything. She may have a horde of demons haunting her memories, but I'd been there, done that, and already had the T-shirt. There was a hell locked away inside of me where her demons could live for eternity if she would just give me the opportunity.

I might not have been able to get through to her that day, or the days following the shooting, but that was changing tonight. I'd known about the beach bonfire for weeks, but until I heard Lowery talking about it with another control room employee I had no intention of going. I silently pretended to read the papers in my hand as I sipped a cold cup of coffee while Lowery tired, and failed, to flirt with a woman who clearly wasn't interested.

"You should drop by," Lowery suggested as he smiled at the young woman. It was glaringly obvious to anyone with eyes that she was uncomfortable, but she was clearly too nice to tell him to fuck off.

"Maybe," she answered noncommittally.

Yeah, that was woman for not even when hell freezes over. I had to force myself not to groan as Lowery continued with his pitch undeterred by the obvious brush-off.

"I'm meeting Jo there a little after eight o'clock so if you wanted to stop by we could, you know, all hang out," Lowery stuttered.

I was so shocked to hear Jo's name in conjunction with a beach bonfire of all things I choked on my coffee, spit it on the reports Claire had demanded I review "or else", and actually stumbled while standing still. Jesus, life doesn't have any hands, but it sure can bitch slap the shit out of you sometimes.

All eyes in the cafeteria swung towards me, and I had no other option than to simply own it. I shrugged lazily as I whipped the coffee off my paperwork, a lazy grin tugging at my lips. I heard more than a few women in the near vicinity swoon in response, but it was Simon's secretary who had me running for the hills.

The woman was on the wrong side of 50, had skin so weathered she'd obviously been rode hard and put up wet, and she had to be the only person on the face of the Earth who still smoked Marlboro Red 100s. When she eye fucked me while sipping a latte muttering to a friend, "All I need is five minutes alone with that man so we can get to know each other, Biblically." I straight up ran for my life.

After I put 10 miles between myself and Skeletor, I mulled over the fact Jo was meeting Lowery at the bonfire. She was up to something, and I had a better chance of discovering Victoria's Secret than getting her to outright tell me. This would call for drastic measures.

Which was how I found myself roaming the beach in search of Jo, Lowery, and whatever ill-conceived plan these two were attempting to hatch. I couldn't say I cared too much about what happened to Lowery, but Jo was a different story entirely. I knew through conversations with Hamada that she was struggling with the aftermath of the shooting. She held herself responsible for the events that transpired that day. She was on a mission to right wrongs that were in no way her responsibility, and I was scared shitless about how far she was willing to go.

I spotted the two of them sitting off to the side of the party on a row of rocks. Lowery looked ready to keel over in response to whatever Jo was telling him. She attempted to console him as she tossed back the contents of her solo cup and snatched his up immediately. Clearly, she hadn't gotten the memo regarding Marco's punch. That crap should be served in a Capri Sun pouch, that way when you couldn't get the straw in the hole anymore you'd know you'd had enough.

Jo abruptly jumped off the rock, patting Lowery's knee in consolation before making her way towards the trashcans full of liquid poison. I made a beeline for her, stopping directly behind her as she filled up two cups.

"One of those for me?" I asked her, while silently adding 'there was no way on god's green Earth I was touching that shit'.

She startled, the contents of the cup splashing over her hand. She let out a huff of annoyance before glaring at me over her shoulder. I couldn't help the smile that pulled at my lips, but to be honest I also didn't try very hard. Her eyes narrowed even more as she looked at me.

"You should wear a bell."

It felt good to be around her even though she was so hostile I was surprised she wasn't foaming at the mouth that I couldn't help the way my chest filled with contentment.

"Little surprised to see you here," I quipped.

"Why? I heard this party was going to be all the rage," she retorted sarcastically as she stepped around me, careful not to touch me.

Bull-fucking-shit. She wasn't here for the party or the punch.

"You just don't strike me as a beach bonfire kinda girl." That was putting it mildly. There were about 10 billion people in the world, and I'd be surprised if Jo could tolerate five of them.

"How the hell would you know what kind of girl I am?" she shot back at me.

I wanted to tell her I knew what kind of girl she was because we were two sides of the same coin. I've never believed in soulmates because, frankly, it seemed like a childish notion, but meeting Jo had me reconsidering. I would never, ever, admit that out loud, but it didn't make it any less true. She had some magical ability to bring out parts of me I had no idea existed. Putting it plainly, she made me want to be a better man, for her.

However, since she currently looked like she was just as likely to kill me as talk to me I decided to save the Shakespearian poetry for another time.

"I know you like Blue Moon beer, you can't cook to save your life, and you keep a diary." The diary was hitting somewhat below the belt, but it was just too funny to let go.

I followed her back over to Lowery and watched the guys face turn green as she handed him a cup filled with punch. Jo studiously avoided eye contact with me as she searched for the meaning of life somewhere in the party.

"You know for someone who spent the better part of a month avoiding me it's quite the turnaround now that you've decided to stalk me. I can't really keep up with your mood swings Owen," Jo hissed at me, chugging the rest of her drink.

I pinned her with my eyes as Lowery shifted uncomfortably beside her. She was swaying slightly and if the glazed over look in her eyes was any indication she was having a hard time focusing. I ground my teeth and barely resisted the cave man like instinct to drag her off the beach.

"Would you like to dance?" I turned slightly, seeing a man wearing board shorts and a wife beater with his arms covered in various tattoos looking at Jo. I watched her slowly drag her eyes from the tips of his flip flops to the top of his head, and I felt my fists clench at my sides. I had no clue who this guy was, but I wanted to murder him. Slowly.

"Sure," Jo slurred, hopping up off the rock and almost falling. She avoided looking at me as she breezed past, the soon to be dead guy's hand guiding her by the small of her back.

I've had a few girlfriends with jealous tendencies and it either struck me as mildly amusing or outright annoying. Personally, I've never experienced a jealous moment in my life, but watching Jo dry hump the tattooed douchbag on the beach 10 feet from me made me feel like starting World War III.

I must have blacked out because one minute I was seething next to Lowery and the next I was flinging the douchebag away from Jo by the scruff of his neck. I scowled down at her as she looked back at me with wide, brown eyes. I was trying, and failing, to erase the image of Jo's ass grinding against that asshole.

I blew a harsh breath out, "What the fuck are you doing?"

Her mouth opened, closed, then opened again as she blinked up at me like a lost owl.

"Uh, dancing."

"Looked more like you were dry humping a stranger on a public beach." I could tell the minute Jo's plastered brain cells were able to compute my words. Her eyes narrowed and her face contorted in equal parts rage and confusion.

"And?" she flung back at me.

I knew I was operating without a net at this point, but I thought fuck it, in for a penny, in for a pound. I grabbed her arm, dragging her towards me. She stumbled slightly in the sand, but I righted her just inches before her body crashed into mine. My heart felt like it might beat right out of my chest as I pulled her the last few inches excruciatingly slow. Her arms wrapped around my neck at the same time as I looped my arms around her waist. I closed my eyes in an attempt to steady my breathing and my wayward thoughts. Having Jo in my arms was the best kind of torture, and when we slowly started swaying to the beat of the music I really thought I might die. But boy, what a way to go.

"You are the most infuriating woman I have ever met," I whispered in her ear.

"It's a gift," she said in a breathy voice, and I smiled as I shook my head.

We continued to dance as we clung to each other, oblivious to anyone and everything. She pulled me even closer, and I had to suppress a groan as I sucked in a lungful of her vanilla scented shampoo. My entire body seemed to be operating outside of my brain's knowledge or consent because I found myself tucking a small strand of hair behind her ear. She stared up at me, swallowing as her eyes darted down to my lips then quickly back up again. I cradled her face with my hand and she sighed dreamily in response.

I vaguely remember promising myself I would hash things out with Jo before kissing her again, but the desire to feel her lips against mine was crushing. I was struck with the knowledge that this woman had complete control over me. I was powerless to resist her, and what was even scarier was the fact that I didn't care.

I leaned down and watched as her eyes fluttered closed, but before I could sate the incessant need swimming through my veins a cell phone rang. My cell phone.

I pulled away slightly, answering my phone with a frustrated, "Grady."

I listened to Barry fill me in on the approaching storm, and the affect it was having on the girls. Jo staggered out of my arms, immediately heading for the first cup of trashcan punch she could find. I followed behind her silently, my phone pressed to my ear, and snatched the cup out of her hand just as she attempted to drain it dry. I tossed the contents onto the beach and settled her with a look that said 'you are officially done for tonight'.

"Seriously? What are you my mother?"

I ignored her as Barry continued to outline the various issues we needed to address, preferable before the aftermath of a hurricane slammed into the island. We had been briefed the storm would bypass Isla Nublar, but Barry didn't put a lot of faith in weathermen.

At my side Jo giggled, actually giggled, and I glanced at her in astonishment. I'd never heard anything so inherently feminine or childlike come out of her mouth before. It was like seeing a monkey on roller skates.

I quickly told Barry I'd be there as soon as I could then ended the call. I grabbed Jo's hand and began dragging her towards my Jeep.

"Hey, let go. What are you doing?" she yelped as I hauled her past Lowery. He looked at me with big bug eyes as I gave him a curt nod continuing on without stopping. Jo attempted to turn around while still walking to deliver a clumsy looking wave.

"I'm taking you home then I'm going to the raptor paddock," I answered.

"Raptor emergencies are important," she giggled, again. I gave her a fleeting look as we continued to walk. She was pretty funny when she was hammered. It seemed to dilute her more abrasive personality traits. "Why do I have to leave the party? Lowery can take me home."

Yeah, there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell I was letting that happen.

"No," I told her blandly.

Her inebriated mind seemed to be catching up with the conversation because she attempted to dig her heels into the sand. Plus, I was betting right about now she was remembering she was pissed at me.

"Why do you even care? Last time we saw each other you kissed me, regretted it, and didn't talk to me for weeks. I'm a big girl Owen. If you don't want to date me or kiss me or whatever, I can handle it. I thought we were at least friends."

Yep she remembered.

She dropped her head, her hair falling in front of her face like a shield as she swayed slightly. I stepped closer to her, brushing the hair out of her face.

"We are friends Jo. Jesus, I want…" The truth was I didn't want to be her friend, far from it. I wanted much, much more from her. I was dumbstruck that this entire time she believed I pulled away because I regretted kissing her. I regretted a lot of things in my life, but kissing Jo wasn't one of them. This entire situation had spiraled out of control, and I needed to fix it. "I fucked up. I'm sorry."

Her eyes snapped to mine in surprise. It was obvious she was struggling for what to say in response. My gaze softened and I grabbed her hand leading her towards my Jeep. Wordlessly, I picked her up and set her in the passenger seat, but when I attempted to reach across her to buckle the seatbelt she swatted my hand away in annoyance.

"I can do it. I'm not that drunk."

That was debatable, but I let her have her moment. She blinked her eyes a few times as she stared at the seatbelt like she was about to disarm a nuclear missile. I watched as she attempted and failed to put the seatbelt into the buckle. I shook my head as she missed for the third time by about four feet. I stepped forward, yanking the belt out of her hand and buckling her in.

"I almost hand it," she pouted.

I quickly climbed into the Jeep, peeling out of the parking lot. My mind was preoccupied with the notion that Jo had been suffering this whole time under the delusion I didn't want her.

"Sorry," she muttered so softly I almost didn't hear it. She had her eyes closed with her head against the seat.

"For what?" What in the world did she have to be sorry for?

"For making fun of your raptor emergency. I know you love your girls. I love them too. I hope they're OK."

Fuck, I was in trouble. I was reasonable certain I could fall in love with this woman.

"The girls are fine. Just a little restless with the approaching storm. I need to go check on them," I told her, glancing out of the corner of my eye. "I'm not mad about that."

Her face scrunched up in thought, "Why are you mad?"

I was mad that I might have fucked up our chance at a relationship. I was mad that she'd been under the impression this entire ordeal was her fault. I was mad about that piece of shit having his hands all over her.

I could have picked any or all of these reasons, but Jo didn't seem coherent enough to comprehend most of them so I went with the easiest option.

"I hated seeing you dance with that guy," I bit out. I'd rather be waterboarded with battery acid than replay that scene in my head. "Him touching you…it made me want to hurt him."

Her eyes opened as her head rolled towards me. She smiled brightly before saying, "I like you too. You're pretty."

I laughed so hard I almost lost control of the Jeep. "You're drunk."

She pursed her lips in deep thought then wiggled her hand back and forth as if to indicate "so-so". So-so my ass, she was officially three sheets to the wind. I reached out, taking her hand and bringing it up to my lips. She smiled contently as she unsuccessfully tried to fight off the z monster. I kept her hand firmly planted in mine as I continued towards her camper.

Once at her house I didn't even attempt to wake her up, opting instead to carry her inside. As I walked back to her bedroom I noticed there were few, if any, personal effects in her camper. Carefully, I laid her down on her bed, removing her flip flops, and gently covering her with a blanket. I went back to the kitchen to grab a Gatorade before tracking down some Tylenol from her bathroom.

I set the Gatorade and Tylenol on her bedside table before kissing her forehead gently, whispering, "Good night Josephine."

She mumbled something unintelligible, rolled over to the other side of the bed, a soft snore drifting through the camper as I left. I climbed back into my Jeep, a stupid smile on my face that had everything to do with the woman sawing logs inside her camper.

I headed out towards the raptor paddock secure in the knowledge that our relationship was not beyond repair, and for the first time in a long time I felt hopeful.

I should have known life would throw me the mother of all curveballs. One thing I'd learned in my 30 plus years was you had to swing at those mofos like Stevie Wonder with a lightsaber or risk taking a curveball to your head.

Because lets face it, nothing with Jo would ever be easy, but I had no doubt it would be worth it.

* * *

 **jahoney: I'm glad you liked the authenticity of some of the events in that chapter. I agree with you that Owen needed a good knock to the head or something :) I have thought about self publishing (a lot actually), but then I read all these books and I wonder if I've got the chops for it. I also don't have anyone who could give it a thorough editing for me so I guess all of those reasons (excuses) have always held me back. Most likely I'm just super afraid of failing and don't really know much about self publishing. Jeez, sorry to lay all that on you. Anyways, hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and as always I appreciate all your feedback.**

 **Korraismygirl: Thanks for the review, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I have thought about publishing, but never really thought it could be a reality. I am definitely going to write the Jo being almost eaten by a raptor from Owen's perspective. That should be fun.**

 **g** **hostFACERS95: Wow, awesome sauce! Thanks so much for the review, the listing, reading...all of it! I am glad someone other than me can relate to all this madness, makes me feel better on the inside. Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)  
**

 **Mystery Guest: Thanks for the review and to answer your question yes, I'm going to do a sequel that will take us through the events of the movie. I will get started on that after I finish this and I hope you will tune in!**

 **angelicedg: Thanks, that boy is working hard and I'm glad someone recognizes the effort :) I hope seeing things from his POV is helpful in the development of the characters and the story. I am so glad you have stuck with me!**

 **LynxOnSmoothies: OK, lay it on me, did I successfully avoid the Angst Danger Zone? I hope so. I want there to be some angst, but I don't want it to be like a girls high school locker room either. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for all the feedback!**

 **BlueEyedPisces: I'm seriously considering entering my son's Kindergarten spelling bee. I feel like I could take home the trophy :) I'm glad you enjoyed the high school rivalry piece because I was drawing on personal experience for that one. Man, when you are living it there is nothing like it, am I right? I over the moon you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you liked this one as well. Thanks for reading/reviewing!**

 **IronMaidenLeigh: Thanks so much for the review! I posted the first couple of chapters on Wattpad the other day so let me know what you think. I hope you liked this chapter, and seeing the aftermath of the "kiss", the shooting and everything else through Owen's eyes. Thanks so much for reading, it means a lot!**

 **CopperMax: Wow, I don't even know what to say. Thank you doesn't seem like enough. It means a lot that you not only like the story, but the characters, and all the subtle nuances that are present. I am so happy you are enjoying the story and hope you keep reading. Thanks so much!**

 **HappyFoot: I caught myself just the other day struggling to decide which perspective I liked better now that I'm a few chapters deep into this. I'll admit it was a struggle at first to switch gears from Jo to Owen, but now I feel like I'm hitting my stride with him. I'm considering doing the sequel that takes us through the events of the movie in a duel perspective (Owen and Jo), thoughts? Everyone else is welcome to sound off on this topic as well...I'd love to hear from you all :)**


	6. I'll Always Come for You

**Apologies for the delay. Sometimes life can be a real biotch. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6 – I'll Always Come for You**

Hurricane Gordon was supposed to make landfall somewhere off the Chilean coast. Light showers, that's what the resident weatherman had told us to expect from the massive storm. Characterizing what we were experiencing now as light showers was like saying rappers were poetic or tequila was just a morning beverage.

I was convinced the dimwit weatherman had gotten his degree online at the same place you could also become an ordained minister. The category three hurricane missed the Chilean coast entirely, and instead, was hammering Isla Nublar with gale force winds and rain. I can accept that meteorological principles are based on probabilities and tendencies, but for fuck's sake was it too much to ask that you got the continent the storm made landfall on correct?

"Barry, the girls are secure in the containment units," I yelled over the howling wind and rain. "Everything's secure, round everyone up and get them inside. I'm going to make the call to headquarters."

I used my arm to cover my face against the onslaught of rain and debris pelting me from all angles. The weather had deteriorated as the night drug on, and this morning it was downright hostile. The wind was howling through the jungle so quickly the golf ball sized rain was painful as it bombarded my body and face.

We'd spent the night and early morning hours securing everything at the paddock. The girls were safely tucked away in containment so they could ride out the storm without the fear of being impaled by a tree branch or worse. I'm pretty sure they hated me right now, but they'd get over it. With everything as safely tucked away as it could be, considering our circumstances, I wanted my people inside, and I needed to report our status to headquarters.

I strained against the wind as I pried our office door open, rushing inside. I was drenched, cold, tired and pretty pissed off. It had been a long night, and an even longer morning. What I wanted to do was pass out on my couch, and wake up about 12 hours later. I pitied anyone who was out in this clusterfuck right now.

Snatching up my phone I hastily shook the water out of my hair while dialing HQ. I sunk into my chair, leaning my head back and closing my eyes as the phone rang.

"Control room, this is Vivian."

"Vivian, it's Owen, the raptor paddock is secure. All personnel are present and accounted for, we're going to ride the rest of this out here."

"Copy that Owen, raptor paddock secure," she repeated back, pausing awkwardly before continuing, "Um, I'm not sure if you know, but…"

I sat up abruptly my mind racing. "Vivian, what's going on?"

My thoughts immediately went to Jo, but I dismissed the thought. She was safe, passed out in her camper with so much booze in her system I was positive her check liver light was going to come on in the near future.

"We had some scientist out testing the gyrosphere's this morning before the weather got bad. We recalled them all, but one didn't return. He's missing." Her voice was breaking, almost like she was scared to tell me. Sure, a missing technician was bad news, but those guys were always missing so it was no reason to get your panties in a twist.

"ACU's gonna have their hands full tracking that guy down in this weather."

Silence.

"Vivian, you still there," I asked as Barry stumbled in from the rain.

"Yes, I'm here, it's just…ACU isn't the one responding. The roads are almost completely washed out and they're on the other side of the island for a training exercise…"

Motherfucker.

I closed my eyes as I took a calming breath. Sometimes it didn't pay to get out of bed.

"Where is she?" There was no need to clarify. Vivian's gun-shy attitude now made total sense. Barry sat up from his spot on the couch, his face tense. He didn't need to ask who "she" was. We both knew any combination of Jo and a hurricane was destined to end in disaster.

"She arrived in the valley a few minutes ago, and found no sign of the technician. She just reported in there are footprints leading into the jungle. She's going to investigate."

"We'll be there as soon as we can," I rushed out, Barry was already up and moving towards the door. He and Jo had formed a fast friendship, and I knew he was just as worried about her as I was at this point.

The trip to headquarters was tortuously slow. The roads were bullshit before the hurricane, now they were out of fucking control. It was like trying to drive a Jeep, on ice, while blind, with no steering. It was a minor miracle Barry and I made it to HQ in one piece, but I had pretty much adopted a "fuck it" attitude about everything at this point.

As we stepped off the elevator into the control room it was apparent to anyone with eyes that things were not going well. Half the monitors on the floor to ceiling screen in the front of the room were pegged to the red, and control room operators were running back and forth like they were competing in an Olympic relay race. I spotted Claire bending over Lowery's station, and immediately made a beeline for them.

"Jo, this is Claire. I think you should wait. We might be able to get some of Hamada's team out there with appropriate supplies in a few hours," she said into a small microphone.

"Claire, we can't wait. It's bad out here. If he's down there he's probably hurt and definitely hypothermic. A couple of hours could mean the difference between life and death. I'm going." Jo's voice boomed through the control room having been routed through the loud speakers.

"Be careful Jo," Claire said, sounding resigned.

"Will do, out."

Claire stood up, rolling her shoulders, blowing a out a harsh breath. I could see the tension in her body, and all I felt was dread about what she was about to tell me. Claire turned to face me slowly, licking her lips as her eyes turned to steel.

"What's the situation, Claire?" I asked, trying to keep my voice level. I reminded myself that Jo could take care of herself; she was a self-proclaimed "badass ninja" who believed responsible drinking was not spilling her beer, and favored pink polka dot shorts for nighttime attire. She'd be fine.

Over the next few minutes Claire briefed us on the search for the missing technician. When she glossed over the fact that at this moment Jo was repelling down a cliff face in search of the technician I couldn't suppress a groan.

"Get her GPS up on the main screen. Barry, get with Vivian and pull the maps for the surrounding areas. If that guy's down there they aren't getting out the way she got in. I need to know any viable routes she might take once she finds him." Everyone flew into action, as I sat down next to Lowery at his station. Claire seemed all too eager to temporarily hand me the reins since planning a rescue mission in weather conditions not seen since Noah built a big ass boat was not in her job description.

Fifteen minutes later Jo's voice boomed through the control room, broken and full of static, "Control room…bottom…copy?" She paused briefly, before continuing, "Control…do you…I'm at the bottom…search."

For the love of all thing's sacred was it too much to ask to have a communication system that didn't fail at every opportunity? I mean, the elevator could talk to you in 15 different languages, but it rains and our entire comm system goes to shit.

"Jo, your communications are coming in broken. The weather isn't going to let up anytime soon, in fact, it'll probably get worse. Recommend you hold your position until we can get someone to you," I rushed out.

"Can't…communications failing," she responded, the heavy rain and wind almost deafening in the background.

This was a goddamn greek tragedy. My mind was racing with different scenarios and possible outcomes.

"Lowery, put Jo's location up on the main screen then put the map of the surrounding area next to it. Take everything else down," I directed, already up and moving towards the large wall sized monitor. I scrutinized the small red beep that represented Jo's GPS locator. "She found him."

"How do you know?" Claire questioned.

"She's not moving," I told her, pointing to the red dot. "If she hadn't found him that red dot would be trekking all over the place."

So, she'd found our wayward technician, but I'd bet my salary the guy was injured. That combined with the brutal weather conditions would make for slow going through a jungle filled with dinosaurs.

"Moving..grid…508…arrival two," Jo said, her broken communications flooding the room.

"Well, that was less than helpful," Lowery mocked.

"Enlarge the terrain map," I called out. Instantly the map of jungle got bigger showing elevations, ridges, cliffs, and bodies of water. I studied the map for a few minutes before I saw it. "Zoom in on grid location 11508133."

About four miles from Jo's current location was a major supply road with a bridge, which would enable her to get the technician across the river. It was her best shot of getting out of there quickly.

"That's it," I said, pointing to the map. "That's where they're headed. We need to get some SUVs ready, and find a medical team who can make the trip. We need to leave in the next 10 minutes. It's going to be slow going with the shit road conditions."

"Wait a minute," Claire called out, stepping forward. "We don't even know if she found the technician, much less where they're headed. You're just guessing. I won't put more people's lives in danger on a hunch."

I turned to face her, reminding myself that she was just doing her job. It would only slow things down if I lost my shit on her.

"Take a look at that red dot," I told her, gesturing to the screen, "See how slow it's moving? If Jo was on her own she'd be covering ground at three times that rate, even in this weather."

Claire's eyes squinted as she watched the agonizingly slow progress of the lone red dot. Jo must be practically carrying the guy through the jungle.

"OK, I'll agree it appears she's found the technician, but how can you know where they're heading?"

It's not that Claire was bossy per say, it was just that she believed the only way to accomplish anything was her way.

"That easiest way out of the jungle is that supply road. It's also the closest by about 10 miles. Considering she's carrying a full-grown man it's her only available option. Those partial numbers we received were a grid location, the location of the bridge," I clarified.

"He's right," Barry agreed. "That's where they're going, and they will need medical assistance. We need to move, now."

All eyes swung to Claire awaiting the final approval. Personally, I didn't need her approval. I was going whether she gave the go-ahead or not, but there was no need for her to know that unless absolutely necessary. While I didn't know if Claire believed in holding grudges, I knew with utter certainty she remembered facts. Forever.

"OK, go. Keep me updated on what's happening," she relented.

She didn't need to tell me twice. Thankfully, Barry also didn't care whether Claire agreed or not because when I exited headquarters a caravan of SUVs were waiting outside. It took just over two hours of treacherous travel on washed out supply roads to make it to the bridge.

I stepped out of the vehicle, checking my phone for Jo's GPS coordinates for about the millionth time. According to the blinking red dot on my screen she was just over a half mile upstream, but the damn thing was beeping in and out and their location jumped by about 3 miles in an instant on the way here. In short, it was pretty much useless. When this was all over I was having a very long, involved conversation with Simon regarding our subpar equipment.

"Barry, try to get through to control and let them know we made it," I called out to him and he nodded in response. "Team 1, get across the bridge and start tracking upstream; take a medic with you. Team 2, you stay on this side; traverse upstream with a medic of your own. I didn't see a viable crossing before this point, but if anyone could figure out a way across without a bridge its Jo. Team 3 and any remaining medical staff stay here with me. Get ready, we know for sure the tech is hurt so I want EVAC prepped. I want reports every five minutes; call them in to your assigned supervisor. Supervisors, I want to know any and all problems as soon as they arise."

Multiple head nods and affirmative responses were hurled my way as everyone moved with fine-tuned precision. I was keeping my fingers crossed these guys knew their ass from a hole in the ground. With Hamada marooned on the other side of the island with almost all of InGen's forces I was highly skeptical about the competency of anyone he'd chosen to leave behind.

"Owen, I was able to get through to Lowery. The doc finally made it in to the clinic with a few nurses. They're standing by," Barry told me, coming to a stop by my side.

"Good."

We had our basis covered for once we found Jo and the directionally challenged technician, now we just needed to actually, you know, find them. I squinted into the night as the rain continued its assault on the island. I'd been standing in this shitstorm for five minutes and was already soaked, freezing and miserable. Jo had been out here for hours.

Each team checked in reporting no sightings, and I instinctively cracked my knuckles with each negative response.

"Sir, we need to consider the possibility they aren't here," an InGen employee voiced from behind me. "No one could survive in this for long, much less injured, and we don't even know for sure they were headed this way."

I said a quick prayer, 'Lord, please give me patience because if you give me strength, I'll also need a new identity and a one way ticket to a non-extraditing country'.

Thankfully, before I could commit a crime Barry spoke up. "Tanner, we aren't going anywhere until we've found them," he spit out, not even attempting to hide his annoyance. "You don't know Jo. She's alive and so is the tech. She'll get him here. If you have any more comments to the contrary you can keep your damn mouth shut."

Boom. Someone just got served.

Tanner trudged away looking every bit like the bitch Barry had just made him out to be, and I resumed scanning the forest perimeter. I couldn't see a damn thing. At this rate the teams would need to step on Jo to find her. I dropped my head, running my hands through my hair in frustration.

"I can't just fucking stand here and do nothing," I told Barry. "I'm going to link up with Team 1 and see if I can find her."

"Them," Barry corrected, smirking.

"What?"

"You said her, but I'm sure you meant them, right?"

"Fuck off Barry," I countered, turning to head off towards the bridge. I could practically feel Barry's smug grin aimed at my retreating back.

My rational brain knew that it wasn't just Jo's life on the line out here, but my heart really couldn't give two shits about the technician. In fact, I was irrationally angry with the guy for wandering into a jungle inhabited by dinosaurs, getting fucking lost, and falling off a cliff.

I was halfway across the bridge when I heard what sounded like a scream come from somewhere up stream. I stopped, gripping the railing on the bridge as I peered into the water trying to confirm what I thought I'd heard. I didn't see anything except the occasional white cap on the river's surface that made the body of water look more like an ocean. The river had doubled in size due to the storm, and the current was violent, powerful, and washing over the riverbank by at least five feet on both sides.

Just as I was about to turn away I heard it. "Parker!" someone shouted above the chaos. I whipped back around, desperately searching the water for any sign of Jo. My heart took a nose-dive, crashing in a fiery inferno in the pit of my stomach as I spotted her reflective rain gear rushing downstream. I had no idea how they both ended up taking a swim, and frankly I had no time to figure it out.

I sprinted off the bridge yelling to Barry, "They're in the river! Get the ropes and get some people down here!"

I rounded the bridge, haphazardly making my way down the muddy slop onto a row of rocks that protruded out at least 10 feet into the river. I situated myself carefully onto the rock furthest out into the water. On my hands and knees I peered under the bridge, trying to catch a glimpse of Jo or the tech.

I saw each of them bobbing up and down in the river as they were twisted, turned and assaulted by passing branches and debris, each only able to take a passing gulp of air before the river reclaimed them. Every time the tech surfaced his arms flailed wildly, and a faint scream could be heard briefly before the wind carried it off unanswered. He was panicking, and it could very likely mean his death. In contrast, each time Jo surfaced she was closer to the tech and used her time above the water to gather her precious air supply, take stock of her surroundings, and locate her charge.

After about two or three iterations of this pattern she was able to grab hold of the guy, keeping him above the water. The tech trashed violently as she struggled to secure him, hitting her in the face, temporarily plunging them both underwater. Jo was able to maneuver behind the tech, looping her arms around him and minimizing his ability to panic and inflict bodily harm on her.

Jo was viciously kicking and pulling with all her strength, attempting to get them both to the side. The guy was basically dead weight in her arms, unable to help keep them afloat, but at least he wasn't punching her anymore. Only moments after Jo had managed to stabilize the pair a branch sticking out over the water smacked her in the face, and the twosome disappeared beneath the water.

I couldn't swallow past the lump in my throat as I held my breath, waiting for them to surface. I was just about ready to throw caution to the wind and jump in the damn river when Jo broke the surface, pulling the tech up with her.

"Owen! Ropes!" Barry shouted, making his way out onto the rocks.

"Spread out, toss the ropes to the other side so Team 1 can grab them. They're almost here. Get some light down here," I demanded, calling out orders to every available hand.

I heard Jo yelling at the tech to kick towards us, as my men scrambled to get ready. I trained my eyes on Jo as she struggled to pull both of them closer to the side. She was close enough now I could see her eyes taking in the chaotic scene unfolding on the riverbank. Her eyes widened slightly before her head whipped around and she furiously started kicking her legs rotating the position they were in. At first I wasn't sure what she was doing, but right as the pair passed under the bridge it dawned on me. They were headed straight for me, and more importantly, the gigantic bolder I was currently occupying.

"Barry.." I said with foreboding.

"I know. We're ready. We'll get her," he told me, patting my back before kneeling down on a rock nearby.

Time seemed to stop as Jo got closer, passing under the bridge, her back to me. I watched in horror as she slammed into the boulder with such force I swear I felt the damn thing rattle. She let out a muffled groan as the tech crashed into her moments later before vanishing beneath the water's surface. Barry reached out, grabbing the tech by the arm, hoisting him out of the water before he drowned.

Instantly, I reached down under the water, snagging the straps on Jo's gear, pulling her half up onto the boulder beside me, a pain filled gasp roughly exiting her lips. I glanced down at her face as I picked her up and carried her to the river's edge. She looked horrible with slightly blue tinged lips, her face streaked with small cuts and scratches.

As carefully as I could I set her down on the ground, pushing the wet hair out of her face.

"Jo, breath, I've got you," I told her as I held her face in my hands. She coughed, water pouring out her mouth onto the mud beside her. "Can I get a medic over here!"

"Parker," she rasped out, her voice sounding scratchy and painful. Her entire body was shaking so hard I was afraid she was going to hurt herself. She seemed to be trying to sit up, but all she was managing was a pathetic twitch of her fingers.

"He's fine. He's already in the truck. You saved his life," I answered her, albeit a little more harshly than I intended. Only Jo would be worried about someone else while lying here beaten and bloody.

"Y-y-yea m-me-e-e," she stuttered from the cold.

In that moment I was so damn happy she was alive I didn't care that she was a magnet for trouble. I gathered her into my arms, hugging her like she was my salvation. I felt her body clench as she moaned in obvious pain. I loosened my grip on her, but kept her snugly pinned against my body. I told myself it was for survival purposes, body heat and all.

"I can't leave you for two seconds without you finding a near death experience," I told her softly, unable to keep the worry from seeping into my voice. This woman scared the shit out of me, in more ways than I'd like to admit.

"Thanks, thanks f-for com-m-ming for m-me."

She was so cold at this point her body was convulsing beyond her control. Despite the cold temperatures her brow was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, no doubt caused by whatever pain her internal injuries were causing. She needed to get warm, get the hell out of here, and get to a hospital. A medic knelt on her other side, handing me a survival blanket that I gingerly wrapped around her broken body.

"I'll always come for you, Jo. Thanks for not dying before I could get here," I smiled down at her.

She gave me a weak smile in return, her eyes drooping closed, as the medic asked me some questions before assessing Jo's body for injuries. When he poked her in her side, just below her ribs, she let out a guttural sob that even if I lived 100 years I'd never be able to forget.

"Be fucking careful!" I snapped, removing his hands from her body. "She's probably has a few broken ribs and who knows what else."

The guy looked ready to shit his pants as he uttered an apology, digging around in his bag. He was finally able to find what he was looking for, and produced a vial of morphine. He punched the syringe into Jo's leg, and it took only moments before her body relaxed.

"Let's get her in the van," I told the medic, picking Jo up in my arm.

The ride to the clinic was about as painful as they come. I sat in the back of the van with Jo cradled in my arms as the medic did his best to give her cursory exam. She stayed blissfully unconscious for the entire ride, and I was thankful for small mercies as I methodically counted each rise and fall of her chest. It felt like it took years to get back to civilization, but when we finally did make it Claire made sure the cavalry was waiting. The tech, whose name I found out was Parker, was wheeled away with only minor injuries consisting of only a broken arm and some superficial cuts.

On the other hand, Jo was an absolute mess. She had three cracked ribs, and I was struggling to find anywhere on her body to look at that wasn't covered in bruises or cuts. Her recovery time would be somewhere in the six to eight week range, and I didn't envy the person who got to deliver that news. I was going to make damn sure I was at least 20 miles away from that fallout zone.

"How is she?" Barry asked as he entered her room, closing the door quietly behind him.

After the doctors had taken some x-rays and ran some initial tests Jo was settled into a room to await her return to the conscious world. I'd firmly planted myself in the chair beside her bed waiting for her to wake up. When Nurse Ratched had informed me that visiting hours were over I'd kindly told her to go fuck herself. That hadn't gone over well, and Claire called to "politely" ask me to stop being a dick to the clinic staff.

"Nothing that time can't heal. Just waiting for her to wake up, although once she does I'm not sure she'll want to stay that way. Broken ribs hurt like a bitch," I told him honestly.

"Our girls tough, she'll be up and giving everyone hell in no time."

I chuckled, "Ain't that the truth."

"If you're good I'm going to head home for a few hours."

"Yeah man, go for it. I'll stay get her home and set up. I'll see you at the paddock. Thanks for your help today. Couldn't have done it without you," I said in earnest

Barry smiled slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the praise, before nodding and turning to leave. I stood up, stretching my aching back as I walked over to the window. The weather had cleared up significantly, but the main strip was still a ghost town. My eyes drifted over the landscape, not seeing anything, as I thought about how close I'd come to losing Jo. If we'd been even a half hour later arriving at the bridge the current would have carried them for miles downstream. They would have drowned before they could have saved themselves, and that revelation made me weak in the knees.

"You should sit down before you fall down," Jo whispered from behind me.

I turned quickly, seeing her tired, brown eyes starring back at me. I rushed to her bed, sitting on the edge as I took her hand in mine. "You're one to talk," I joked, "How do you feel?"

Her nose scrunched up in thought as she gingerly moved different parts of her body experimentally before she answered, "I feel fantastic."

I laughed, "That's because you have enough drugs on board to kill a rhino."

"Well, I say we keep it that way for the time being, deal?" she said, holding out a fist, her words slightly slurred from the pain meds. It was undeniably adorable.

"Deal," I agreed, unable to keep from smiling as I sealed our deal with a fist bump.

She looked me up and down in an appraising manner and I was suddenly weary about drug induced Jo. She had little to no filter under normal circumstances. All doped up on pain meds she was likely to be indecent.

"You look really good in a vest," she said, her head nodding in appreciation.

I cocked my head to the side, looking down at my disheveled, but now dry clothes.

"Uh, thank you."

"I mean it. You have this whole Crocodile Hunter vibe going on that is… _good_ ," she told me, drawing out the "o's", giving me a thumbs up. I take it back, drug induced Jo was fun. "Not many men could pull off wearing a vest, but you, you make it work."

"Well, I try," I said with mock seriousness.

She let out a deep breath before closing her eyes. "Is Parker OK?"

The change in topics was so sudden it took me a minute to respond. By the time I did she was looking at me, her eyes filled with dread.

"He's fine Jo. I'm sorry, I thought you remembered. Just a broken arm, he's already home," I clarified and she instantly relaxed.

"That's a relief. One less casualty to blacken my soul further."

I didn't like where this was headed.

"What are you talking about?" I knew it was a dick move to talk with her about this when she very well wouldn't' remember it later, but god help me I couldn't help it.

"I'm bad luck, destined to hurt everyone around me." She said it like it was a fact not up for debate.

I squeezed her hand, leaning down over her so she couldn't ignore me. "You're not bad luck. You saved Parker's life. Without you, he'd be dead."

She waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah well, one out of a million hardly makes any difference. Nothing in my life has ever been worth a shit, and it seems to always end up rubbing off on those close to me. That's why I don't have friends or hot Crocodile Hunter boyfriends or family. Well, that's not true. I don't have family because they didn't want me, but you get my point."

I stored the 'Crocodile Hunter boyfriend' comment away for later. We would definitely be exploring that comment in full HD in the near future. I didn't think she even knew what she was saying at this point, but it didn't make her feelings any less true. From her point of view anyway. It was obvious Jo had some serious monsters lurking in her closet that had her convinced she wasn't worthy of happiness.

"You're not defined by your past, Jo. It was just a lesson, not a life sentence," I said as her eyes found mine. She didn't say anything for so long I was worried I'd broke something with my wisdom.

"Wow, that was, wow. Did you get that from a fortune cookie?" she asked with complete sincerity. She was so high right now her brain probably resembled a fried egg.

"No, that's just a nugget of Owen Grady wisdom for you to munch on," I laughed.

"You're like the Yoda of Jurassic World. Can I be your padawan learner? We can drop nuggets of knowledge all over this island?" She looked really excited about the possibility.

OK, this was getting out of hand.

"We'll talk about it later. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

"M'kay," she responded, her eyes already closed. I moved back to the chair, keeping her hand firmly locked in mine. "Owen?"

"Yeah?"

"You won't leave, right?"

"Never," I answered honestly as I squeezed her hand.

As she drifted off to sleep, on her drug induced high, I realized this brave, beautiful, damaged soul had invaded my heart. She'd burrowed her way in past my defenses, and set up a little homestead. I could no sooner leave her than I could stop breathing.

She may be broken.

She was definitely reckless.

She was likely crazy.

But she was mine.

* * *

 **jahoney: Thanks for the review...I'm glad you thought it was funny. Hope you enjoyed this one as well :)**

 **thakidisbac: Awesome sauce, thanks! I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.**

 **BlueEyedPisces: Marco's trashcan punch is an homage to my college days. That stuff is equal parts amazing and terrible :) Nothing says I'm in college like liquor in an actual trashcan, am I right? Thanks for the kind words. I'm thinking about looking into self-publishing. We'll see.**

 **LynxOnSmoothies: I'm so glad we didn't crash and burn in the "overly angsty" zone. No one wants that :) It was fun getting Owen to the party and Skeletor was just too good to pass up. Maybe she'll make an appearance later on :) Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **angelicedg: I'm with you, he's already there. Sometimes it takes the mind a little longer to catch with the heart. Plus, these two aren't exactly experienced with this kind of thing. They need relationship training wheels. Hope you liked this chapter and thanks for reading!**

 **HappyFoot: You make good points regarding dual POV. I'm still going back and forth for the sequel. If I did dual POVs I wouldn't write each chapter from each characters perspective, rather I'd pick either Jo/Owen depending on whose insight would be better for the story and tell it from their POV. 3rd person is a good idea, but I've never written from that POV before so I'd need to practice for sure. I'm glad you enjoyed the ending scene in the car (I like that part too). Hope you liked the chapter. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Secrets

**As my kids would say: Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7 – Secrets**

We all have secrets.

Some secrets are harmless, little white lies we keep to ourselves or tell others to spare them needless pain. These kinds of secrets we keep to protect others. The downfall in this thinking lies in the fact that there's rarely a secret time doesn't reveal.

Some secrets we keep for reasons that aren't so altruistic; we keep them to protect ourselves. We harbor these private feelings because we are under the impression if we told anyone our secret they would never look at us the same again. What we fail to understand, most of the time, was that if we surrounded ourselves with the _right_ people it wouldn't matter what we divulged, they'd accept us no matter what.

Then there are secrets we keep for the sole purpose of hurting others. My grandmother, YaYa, use to tell me these types of people were courting the devil, and would pay for their debauchery in Hell. YaYa was intense, and somewhat crazy. I'm pretty sure when I was nine I helped her hold a séance to commune with her dead friend Patty. After my dad found out I wasn't allowed to be alone with YaYa anymore. She may have been insane, but she was right about one thing, people who had secrets like this were assholes.

My mother always told me that when I found the right woman, a true relationship, I'd know because we'd tell each other anything and everything. There would be no secrets, no lies.

My mother's theory didn't account for Josephine King. She was the exception that disproved the rule. Shit, every rule if I was being honest.

I knew, and accepted, the fact Jo had secrets. Hell, her secrets had secrets. Trying to get information out of her was like trying to bust into the NSA and steal state secrets. She kept some out of sheer self-preservation, and others out of a displaced desire to protect those around her. It didn't come from a place of dishonesty or a desire to do harm. No, I didn't believe that for a second, and it was how I knew my mother never considered someone like Jo when developing her meddling theories on soulmates. She'd never contemplated someone whose heart was shrouded in secrets they'd been powerless to fight off simply by a happenstance of birth.

Trust wasn't something Jo was well versed in. Relationships, of any kind, were even more foreign to her. Expecting her to understand these complex concepts overnight was like asking her to translate Mandarin or give up candy, not gonna happen.

The woman was a conundrum, wrapped in an enigma, surrounded by a paradox. It was because of this that I kept quiet, and pretended to not notice while she and Lowery plotted mayhem and destruction. It took all the willpower I possessed to not corner her, and shake her until she told me what was going on. Confronting Jo would be like trying to bitch slap one of the raptors, someone would come away bleeding. Besides, I didn't want to force the truth out of her. I wanted her to trust me enough to come to me on her own.

Patience I told myself, about 400 times a day. It wasn't that I didn't have the ability to wait her out; it was that I doubted my ability to maintain a good attitude while waiting.

"I want to build an extension for the bungalow here," I told her, standing in the front of my house pointing to back patio.

In the weeks following the events with the missing technician Jo and I had been inseparable. At first, it was simply due to logistics. Jo could hardly move, and I'd taken it upon myself to ensure she took her pain meds and ate something other than Twizzlers. Erasing the images of her on the riverbank that night broken and withering in pain were not easy to come by, and I needed reassurance that she was going to be OK. Plus, it was easier to douse her food in the pain meds she refused to take if I was with her.

Most people would probably kill for a few weeks of paid vacation doped on drugs strong enough to bring down a horse, but Jo wasn't most people. We were four days into her mandated six weeks of medical leave when she'd assaulted me with her pill bottle. I swear she hurled the bottle at my head with the velocity a professional pitcher would envy. There was no way either of us would survive five more weeks with her confined to her camper, so instead I instituted the "Bring Jo to Work" policy. It was either that or one of us was going to die, plain and simple.

Barry and I kept her stocked with enough candy to send anyone else into a diabetic coma, and in return she took her medication willingly. Plus, it had the added bonus of being able to keep an eye on her. I'm all about the win-win.

Somehow spending time together at work had morphed into spending time together outside of work. I cooked her food each night while she transcribed notes on the girls from that day, and then we'd make our way to her camper to watch TV until Jo fell asleep and started drooling on my shoulder.

"Why?" she asked, confused. Jo was allergic to manual labor.

"A workshop," I supplied. "I still have a storage unit full of stuff stateside."

She looked like she'd rather rip her fingernails off one at a time.

"I'm not helping. I don't care what food you withhold as punishment."

I cocked my head to the side studying her. She narrowed her eyes at me as she fought the urge to fidget under my gaze. I felt a smile tugging at my lips as I formulated my plan.

"Oh, I think you could be persuaded." She shook her head, taking a small step back. "I'm sorry to hear that. I guess I won't need to make my fettuccini alfredo anytime soon."

She swallowed hard, her mouth dropping open in horror. I turned towards my bungalow pretending to ponder my new workshop. This was really too easy, I was just getting warmed up.

"I was going to make chili sometime this week too," I confessed.

I could hear her muttering under her breath from behind me, and couldn't stop the ear splitting grin that broke out across my face. Just wait until I brought out the big guns.

"I should call Barry and tell him to forget grabbing that salmon from Enrique. I've never really loved herb crusted salmon anyway."

She scoffed, outraged at such a proposition. "Fine, you sadist! I'll help with your stupid shed!"

I turned around, offering a condescending smile. "Workshop, and thanks for volunteering."

"I hope you don't want your shed anytime soon because my doctor says I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than a laundry basket."

I ignored her, turning back around. I didn't need a reminder of her physical injuries. I remembered them all with stark clarity. I had a feeling even if I washed my brain out with bleach I wouldn't be able to erase the memories from that night. Besides, I didn't really need her help with the workshop, I just wanted her around. I was such a pussy.

I heard her phone vibrate on the table, and fought the urge to turn around. I had to constantly remind myself that Jo was still under the impression she was Robert Redford in Spy Game. Normally, the woman's cellphone ringer is set so loud I can hear it when she's in her camper so the fact that a week ago it went dark was a dead giveaway she was up to no good. Jo's mysterious switch to silent communications was like a toddler who was quiet for too long while unsupervised, huge fucking red flag.

It wasn't until last week while I was at headquarters that my suspicions were confirmed. I was just leaving a meeting when I bumped into Lowery at the front doors. I'd left Jo with Barry at the paddock to work through some of the reports we were "modifying" before sending to InGen. If Jo's employment at Jurassic World ever fell through she had a promising career as a fiction writer ahead of her. Barry had moral qualms about lying on official reports so I left Jo in charge of the afternoon's creative writing session. She didn't have moral qualms about anything.

Plus, the last time she came with me to headquarter she stole a bunch of magazines then hunkered down with them at the paddock for hours like the pages held the secret of life. I'm not sure how 'Drop Two Sizes in 2 Weeks' or 'Easy Ab Diets' was striving towards world peace, but I have to say if she was interested in my opinions on the 'How to Have Sex He'll Love' article I was more than willing to lend a helping hand.

On my way out the door I collided with Lowery who was hunched over his phone texting with a speed I'd never been able to personally achieve. How they guy had the coordination to text and walk at the same time was one of life's great mysteries.

He slammed into me, his phone clattering to the ground as he tumbled backwards awkwardly. I left him to fend for himself against gravity and reached down to retrieve his phone. Just as I picked it up a text message beeped on the home screen. I'm a guy who values privacy, believe me, but when I saw Jo's name appear just above the message I knew the chances of me not reading the text were somewhere in the range of 'never gonna to happen' to 'yeah fucking right'.

My eyes danced across the phone, reading the message. Jesus, it was hard being right all the time.

 _Calm down, it's not a felony. It's barely a misdemeanor. Besides, you won't get caught so it doesn't matter. Stop Googling shit! – Jo_

And to think, I was just getting over being pissed off about coming all the way to headquarters for a meeting that should have been an email, and just like that, here we go again.

I slowly raised my eyes to Lowery taking in his terrified appearance. His eyes were as big as saucers and he was shifting his weight back and forth trying to decide between fight or flight. Personally, I wouldn't recommend either.

"You and I need to talk," I barked at him, handing him back his phone. He hesitated slightly, his eyes darting between me and the phone before he hesitantly took it.

"You can't make me talk," he stuttered, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Clearly he'd watched Goodfellas one too many times with Jo. I raised my eyebrows at him, placing my hands on my hips.

Could I beat the truth out of Lowery? Sure.

Did I need to? Not really.

The guy was about two seconds from pissing his pants and I'd said five words to him. All it took was another 10 seconds of silence before he cracked. God help us if Lowery ever fell into the hands of the enemy.

"OK, I'll tell you. Just don't hurt me." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "At the bonfire.."

"Not here," I cut him off. "Follow me."

I led Lowery down Mainstreet to Margaritaville. It wasn't open yet, which guaranteed no one inadvertently overhearing us. As we entered the restaurant I saw Marco emerge from the kitchen carrying boxes of beer.

"Anything I can help you with, Owen?" Marco questioned.

"Nah man, just need a table for a few minutes. That cool?"

"No problem. I'll be in the back if you need anything." That was one of the things I liked about Marco, he didn't ask questions.

"Sit," I ordered. Lowery slunk into the chair opposite me, his eyes glued to the table top. "Listen Lowery, this doesn't need to be difficult. It's obvious you and Jo are in way over your heads. Why don't you do us both a favor and tell me what's going on."

Lowery glanced around the restaurant before pushing his glasses up his nose. "Jo will kill me if I tell you."

That wasn't true. For some inexplicable reason Jo liked Lowery so I seriously doubted she'd kill him for spilling the beans. Maim him? That was a definite possibility, but there was no need for fraidy cat here to know that.

"Jo isn't the person you should be worried about right now," I threatened. Truth was Jo would probably kill me if I hurt Lowery, and as much as the sight of the guy irritated me, I had no desire to harm him. Much.

He swallowed, biting his lip and weighing his options. He obviously didn't want to betray his friend, but he wanted broken fingers even less.

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell Jo," he whispered, defeated.

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

He sat up straighter, scooting his chair closer to the table before launching into his explanation, "Jo asked me at the bonfire to do something." I narrowed my eyes at him. "OK, she asked me to hack into a server and poke around a bit."

I ground my teeth together, my fingers tapping against the table in annoyance. My bullshit detector was reading 'false'. Oh, I had no doubt Jo had asked him to illegally hack into the company's computer system, but there was still a shit ton he wasn't telling me.

"Lowery, I'm only going to say this once. Jo means something to me. I'm not the kind of guy who has heart to hearts so me telling you that is paramount to us painting each others toe nails at a sleepover," I told him in clipped tones, cracking my knuckles before proceeding. "That being said, if she's planning something that could result in her getting hurt I'd like to know. You and I both know she tends to overlook the ramifications of her actions."

Lowery nodded in response, "Yeah, I know. It's just…"

"Listen, tell me what's going on and let me see if I can help. I'm not saying Jo doesn't have a good reason for committing a felony, but you two seem like you could use all the help you can get."

"I knew it was a felony," he muttered under his breath. "She wants me to hack a server, an InGen laboratory server specifically."

Now we were getting somewhere.

"Why?"

"The guy who shot up the lab said some stuff to her before she, you know…"

"Killed him," I supplied.

Lowery cringed, "Yeah. Well, he told her that they were messing around with DNA. Made it sound like it was unauthorized. Jo confronted Simon about it, but he brushed it off, didn't take her seriously. She's convinced something is going on and wants proof."

"Messing around with DNA how?" The lab was required to "mess around" with DNA to fill the gaps in the DNA. It was part of the job description.

"That's what we're trying to find out. It's public knowledge the lab fills gaps with all kinds of DNA, but that guy didn't kill people because of standard operating procedures. He made it sound like InGen was making something…something that Mr. Masrani, everyone, was unaware of."

I sat back in the chair, crossing my arms across my chest. If that were true this was a fuck up of epic proportions. It would mean history repeating itself. It would mean another Jurassic Park.

Holy shit.

"What have you found?" I asked.

"Nothing yet. I've been working on creating a back door so I can access the servers without alerting anyone. It takes time, and it's not like I can do it at my station during normal business hours."

Made sense, I guess. Most of what Lowery said sounded like gibberish to me. It was like talking to a Wookiee.

"Keep working on it, and let me know what you find out," I said, rising from the chair.

"You, you won't tell Jo I told you, right?"

Want to know the definition of stupid? Knowing the truth, seeing the truth, but still believing the lie.

"Sure thing," I lied, striding towards the door before stopping and turning back. "Lowery, if you keep me in the dark again you and I are going to have a problem."

Exactly one week later Lowery made a breakthrough. He hastily called me and spent 20 minutes explaining in agonizing detail the entire process of hacking the server. I understood four words "Hi Owen, it's Lowery". Bottom line, he finally had some news, and he was meeting Jo tonight to discuss it.

So when Jo's phone vibrated with an incoming text message I knew it was Lowery. I kept my fingers crossed that Jo would confide in me, but from the look of her currently snoring softly on my couch while I finished dinner I wasn't holding my breath.

When she said nothing about her impending plans during dinner then made some lame excuse about being tired at 8:30 I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep a straight face, much less keep my mouth shut. As it turns out personal restraint was my superpower.

"Man, I'm wiped out. I think I'm going to hit the sack early tonight." This was delivered complete with a fake yawn. I was almost embarrassed for her.

"Alright, need me to walk you home?"

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks thought." She at least appeared genuinely sheepish as she lied to my face.

She was really trying to sell it on her walk to her camper as she pretended to trip and zig zag across the distance. Personally, I just thought she looked drunk, but whatever floats your boat I guess.

While she continued to unnecessarily stumble to her camper I flipped off all the lights in my bungalow, getting in my Jeep and heading out. The fact that Jo had the patience of a toddler who'd ingested one too many Red Bulls, coupled with the fact her meeting with Lowery was drawing closer, told me she'd wait a total of five minutes before sneaking out.

On the way to the meeting point I tried not to let my anger take over. Jo didn't trust anyone, herself included, so I couldn't get upset at her for not opening up to me. At least that's what Barry had told me, repeatedly, when I'd brought him into the loop on this whole fiasco. According to him, it wasn't fair to punish her for not meeting an expectation I'd unknowingly placed on her. Having Barry as a friend was like spending time with Confucius.

I parked my Jeep out of sight at the meeting point and began the descent to the beach. How Lowery ever found this place was a mystery. The guy certainly had a flare for the dramatic. Barry was already waiting with Lowery when I finally arrived.

"She's on her way," Lowery informed me, nervously fidgeting with the flashlight in his hands.

"I figured," I told him, glancing at Barry. "Let's wait over in those caves until she gets here. If she sees us down here she might high tail it outta here."

Barry and I walked into the caves, the darkness within swallowing us up only feet inside, completely obscuring our presence. I could hear bats flapping deeper in the cave and had to prescribe myself a healthy dose of man the fuck up because those things creeped me the fuck out. This place was like Doctor Seuss' worst nightmare.

"Did she tell you anything?" Barry asked.

"What do you think?"

He snorted, "No real surprise there. Go easy on her tonight. This is all new to her."

Tell me something I didn't know buddy. I wasn't really mad. I was disappointed. I wanted her to feel what I was feeling, to need me the way I knew I needed her. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do if that never happened.

Thankfully I was saved from my inner musing by Jo's arrival. She walked down the dirt path towards Lowery with the pale moonlight glowing behind her, bathing her body in an ethereal glow. She moved with grace and strength, the breeze from the ocean blowing her hair over one shoulder. Looking at her was like taking a punch to the gut. Jesus, I was in serious trouble.

"Hey Lowery," she greeted the nervous control tech warmly. Lowery looked ready to puke and I knew it would only take seconds for Jo to notice. "What's wrong? Are you OK?"

"Let's go," I nudged Barry, walking out from the cave. We might as well get this party started right now before Lowery had a heart attack.

"Jo, I'm sorry…" Lowery started, but stopped as Jo's gaze fixed on us. She immediately withdrew a gun from her back, shoving Lowery behind her. I felt myself smirk; I should have known she'd come armed. She probably slept with a samurai sword under her pillow.

It didn't take long for her to realize who was standing in front of her. Her mouth dropped open and her head snapped around to Lowery. It didn't escape my attention the gun was still pointed at me.

"Hey Jo, fancy meeting you here," I said casually. "Wanna put the gun away?"

She dropped the gun to her side as she leveled a gaze at Lowery that clearly shouted, "you and I are not done" before turning to look at me. She seemed at a loss for words as her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. I think she would have handled a T-Rex strolling out of that cave better than this.

"What did you do?" she hissed at Lowery. I thought that was fairly obvious, but Jo apparently needed more information before she came to a conclusion.

Lowery looked like he was trying to melt into the sand so I decided to throw the guy a life preserver since this was really my doing.

"I think the better question is, what are you doing Jo" I spat at her, not even attempting to keep the ice out of my voice. "Because from where I'm sitting you're taking reckless chances."

"How do you even know about any of this?!" she fired back. At least her attention was now focused solely on me, I wasn't sure Lowery could take the full brunt of Jo's wrath.

"Lowery volunteer the information," I answered.

"That's not exactly…I wouldn't say…" I cut him off with a hard look. He mumbled something incoherent under his breath, dropping his head. Smart man.

"The way I understand things, you have Lowery here risking his job to hack into an InGen secure sever. Is that about the gist of it?" I supplied.

The venom in my voice would have had anyone else ducking for cover. Jo squared her shoulders, straightening out her spine in an attempt to match my height. I still towered over her, but it was a clear sign she wasn't intimidated. It was one of the things I loved about her normally, but right now, it made me want to strangle her. In the most loving way possible, of course.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to Lowery," she stated. She meant it too. Jo didn't let just anyone into her life, but once you got the all access pass she would die to keep you safe. It was the reason this whole plan terrified me.

"And what about you?"

"What about me?" she asked, clearly confused. Concern for her personal safety had never entered the equation. Typical.

We were nose to nose at this point. My body was rigid with anger, and the need to grab the woman in front of me and hide her away from the world. I knew she'd never let me, and what's more she would hate even the idea of that, but keeping her safe was the only thing that mattered in my world at this point.

Barry cleared his throat from behind me, "I think we should focus on what Lowery has to say. The what or why is irrelevant now."

Jo huffed in response, holstering her weapon at the small of her back and turning away from me towards the ocean. I kept my eyes fixed on her as she tapped her fingers against her forearm in agitation. So she was pissed, good, I'd been pissed for weeks.

"Well, ah, I've made some progress getting past their firewalls. Their system has triple redundancy and operates completely outside Masrani's normally protocols. Which is weird. I'm not sure anyone even realizes how well insulated InGen's research actually is," Lowery addressed the group, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

"So you found something?" Jo inquired, finally turning away from the ocean. It didn't escape my notice she avoided looking in my direction.

"Um, well, no. I mean, I have found some research, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that everyone in the company doesn't have access to or would find strange."

Well then why and the fuck were we standing on a secluded beach in the middle of the night? For a smart person Lowery was really fucking stupid sometimes.

"I'm sorry I asked you to take such a big risk for nothing Lowery. I appreciate you giving it a shot," Jo told him, moving past everyone towards the dirt path that led up the cliff.

"Wait, I didn't say there was nothing," Lowery called out and she froze. Hell, we all froze.

"What did you find?" I probed. Why didn't he just say that to begin with?

I will not kill Lowery. I will not kill Lowery. This was becoming my daily affirmation.

"There's an isolated server housing terabytes of information that isn't connected back to the system. That's highly unusual. I can't access the server's contents without physically getting into the server room, but I did see something interesting in the other accessible servers. The lab keeps records on every dinosaur in the park, not surprising. What is surprising is there were two shadow files on the computer I hacked that essentially had nothing in them but filler information made to look like actual files."

"Which two?" Barry asked, stepping closer to Lowery.

"The Velociraptors and something called an Indominus Rex," he answered.

Well, fuck.

I didn't know what an Indominus Rex was, but the fact that my girls were essentially being spied on was enough to get my blood boiling. Taking this job was not doing my blood pressure any favors, or my homicidal tendencies. When I was in the Navy killing people wasn't really an issue, sure, it was frowned upon sometimes, but it was a fact of life. Here at Jurassic World I was almost positive killing someone would come with a life sentence.

"I'm not that up-to-date on my dinosaur history so feel free to stop me if I'm wrong, but whatever it is you just said is not a real dinosaur, right?" Jo asked the group. We all shook our heads. "That's what I thought."

"What did it say about the raptors?" I snapped, my fist clenching and unclenching in time with my rising heart rate. "Did you find anything that pointed to what that Domino Rex thing actually is?"

My first priority was ensuring my girls were safe, but something told me the unidentified dinosaur was a direct threat to their well-being. Was I paranoid? Maybe. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an illegally created, possibly genetically engineered, killing machine roaming the island.

"Indominus Rex," Lowery corrected. I scowled in response and went back to repeating, "I will not kill Lowery" in my head. "Right, not important, and no. The files for both dinosaurs look like basic research, theories and some reports from you guys, but like I said most of the files are inaccessible remotely. I couldn't access any tangible information on either dinosaur."

Essentially we had shit ton of circumstantial evidence, and not much more. If we went to Simon with this bullshit he'd fire us all, throw us off the island, and probably have us arrested. Not necessarily in that order.

"That's it then. If we can't get to the information there isn't a lot we can do," Barry stated the obvious.

"Well, maybe…," Jo muttered, her voice trailing off as her face got the look that screamed, 'I'm coming up with a plan that is most likely equal parts illegal and dangerous'.

"Jo, the only way to access those files would be to at the server itself. Before you ask, I checked, and that server is located on the top floor in the most highly secure part of the building. It requires an access card that only a handful of people have. I mean, what do you plan to do, break into the server room?" Lowery laughed.

I had to agree with the nerd on this one. I'd seen Mission Impossible movies with plot scenarios more achievable than what he'd just described, and those guys blew up the Kremlin once.

"Pretty much," Jo replied, blunt as ever.

Lowery cleared his throat instantly sobering, "Oh, well, OK."

"Barry, why don't you and Lowery call it a night. We're not coming up with a plan now. I'll link up with you tomorrow at work," I declared, dismissing the two. I needed a few minutes alone with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest here.

Barry nodded, grabbing Lowery as he passed by. I saw Jo try to move towards the dirt path in my peripheral.

"Mind hanging back for a minute?" I asked, trying to maintain some sense of civility.

She glanced up at the retreating figures on the walkway longingly, watching until they disappeared from view. I was reasonable certain she'd rather be waxing Hoskins back hair than standing here with me right now. I watched as she shifted her weight around anxiously, chewing on her fingernails as she glanced between the ocean, the beach and me.

It was exhausting to watch. I'd wager she could keep quiet for about two more minutes, max.

"Are you going to say something or just stand there all dark and broody?" she asked only seconds later.

Two more minutes, what was I thinking? This was Jo we're talking about. My eyes' narrowed on her and she took a tentative step back.

"Do you really think baiting me is in your best interest right now?"

"No?" She phrased it like a question unable to gauge my mood.

I grumbled in response, dragging my hands through my hair in frustration. I felt her instantly deflate, her shoulders slouching.

"How long have you known?" she whispered.

I paused before answering, "Since right after the bonfire."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted you to trust me enough to tell me yourself," I answered, turning away from her. I really didn't want her to know how much it hurt that she hadn't. "I came tonight because I was worried you might do something rash without thinking it through."

You know, like breaking into a server room to steal proprietary information.

I heard her take in a harsh breath and turned around. Her eyes were downcast, but I could see unshed tears filling those beautiful, brown eyes. I was momentarily shocked speechless. I wasn't sure Jo was capable of tears, but here she was, almost crying right in front of me.

"I do trust you," she cried, her voice breaking, "I didn't tell you because I couldn't protect you if this went sideways."

Protect me? Mother of all things sacred. I appreciated the notion, but it was completely unnecessary. I was fairly certain I could handle everyone on the island, with the exception of the maybe Jo.

My heart swelled at her admission of trust. It made all the difference in the world that she'd kept information from me out of a misplaced desire to protect me, and not because she didn't trust me. Most people wouldn't care about the subtle nuances of deceit, but with Jo this was a monumental breakthrough.

Earning her trust was like locating El Dorado. You spend your life seeking it, only to find out it could never be found.

I slowly stepped in front of her, gently running my hand down the side of her face, hooking my fingers under her chin as I tipped her face up. A lone tear escaped, racing down her cheek. My eyes softened as lopsided smile broke out. I used my thumb to brush away the tear, studying her face in the moonlight. She looked troubled, haunted, embarrassed. I wanted nothing more than to crush her to me and chase away all thoughts but us.

"I appreciate the gesture Jo, but you don't need to protect me. I can handle myself."

"Yeah, well, there isn't a whole lot you can do if they just up and fire you. I couldn't let that happen. I know how much the girls mean to you."

I flashed her a 100-watt smile, wrapping my arms around her as I led her towards the dirt path. Hidden underneath Jo's I don't give a fuck attitude was the heart of a person who cared more deeply than anyone I'd ever met.

"Just out of curiosity, how were you planning to explain Lowery's involvement if your evil plot was uncovered?"

"First of all, my plot was not evil." Debatable. "Second, I would just tell them I held a gun to his head and made him do it," she finished, sniffling as we reached the top of the cliff.

"And you couldn't say the same about me?"

She started laughing then grabbed her ribs as they protested the action.

"I don't think anyone would believe I coerced you with the threat of physical violence," she patted me on the back as she looked around. "What…where the hell is my Jeep?!"

"Barry took it. You can pick it up tomorrow at the paddock," I stated, smiling bright. It was a shameless ploy to finally get her on my motorcycle.

She kept looking at the spot her Jeep had been parked like she could conjure it with sheer willpower. Her brow was furrowed as she glanced into the jungle then back at her former parking sport, her lips compressed in a thin line. I sat on my motorcycle patiently waiting for her to snap out of whatever mental gymnastics routine was currently taking place in her head. At the rate it'd be morning before we got out of here.

She looked up, looking even more confused as she met my expectant eyes. What did she think; I'd make her walk outta here?

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She glanced behind her like there might be someone else here I was waiting on.

"Are you going to get on or just stand there all night?"

She looked like she was going to stand there, all night.

"But, but, that's your bike," she stuttered, obviously uncomfortable.

"Motorcycle."

"Whatever," she responded dismissively, waving her hands.

"Josephine King, are you nervous to get on my motorcycle?" I taunted, reveling in her discomfort.

She couldn't maintain eye contact with me as she bit her lip. Taunting her was a total dick move, but she was just so darn cute when she was like this I couldn't pass up the opportunity. In all seriousness, I was having a hard time placing her anxiety. As far as I knew Jo was only scared of dead rats and the possibility of a candy apocalypse.

"Jo, you look ready to bolt. I promise it's totally safe. You know I'd never let anything happen to you."

She looked confused for a second before shaking her head in agreement. Clearly, this was not the root of her distress, but she sure as hell wanted me to think it was. I was starting to consider the possibility of having to walk out of here when she closed her eyes, and started shuffling towards me. She swung her leg over the motorcycle, sitting down behind me so close to rear fender I wasn't sure how she didn't tumble off.

"Uh Jo, you're going to have to get a little closer for this to work."

You know, they say the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. As Jo slide her body forward, wrapping her arms uncertainly around my waist I found out the truth of that statement. I felt her breasts pressed into my back as her hips slide forward, her long, lean legs practically wrapped around me. She let out a small whimper as her hands cautiously explored my abs struggling to find a hold. I closed my eyes tight, thinking of anything to keep my libido in check.

In an effort to distract myself from the temptress sitting behind me I kick started the motorcycle. Jo's arms instinctively tightened around my waist with a yelp, pulling her so tight against me it left nothing to the imagination. And I'll be completely honest; my imagination had taken a nosedive into pornographic territory. When the soft scent of her shampoo wafted by my nose as her hair fell forward I felt my dick jump in response, and knew I was on the wrong side of a losing battle.

This was either the best or worst plan in the history of the world.

"Not that I don't enjoy all the noises coming out of your mouth right now Jo, but if you don't stop we won't be leaving this spot any time in the near future."

That was the god's honest truth. I was practically vibrating with the need to touch her, to taste her. I was overcome with the urge to make her mine in every sense of the word. I wrenched back on the throttle, shooting us into the jungle at a breakneck speed. I felt Jo bury her head against my back, and eased up on the throttle. No need for us to both die because of a little sexual frustration. I tried to keep my focus on the drive, the beautiful scenery, the reports I had due tomorrow. Anything to distract me from the feeling of Jo behind me, her hands on my body, her head lying peacefully on my shoulder.

Fuck my life, this was some beautiful torture.

Too soon I was slowing down in front of Jo's camper as she gracelessly tumbled off the motorcycle. Jo and clumsy went together about as well as her ham and potato sandwiches so I knew I wasn't the only one suffering from the ride.

"Thanks for the ride," she mumbled, making a beeline for her front door.

I sat on my motorcycle, watching the retreating back of the woman who meant more to me than anything else in the world. What the fuck was I waiting for, an engraved invitation?

"Screw it," I thought, climbing off my bike. I was done waiting. I reached out, grabbing Jo by the hand and swinging her around. I pulled her towards me, crushing my lips against hers. She hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around my neck, opening her mouth to me. I slide my tongue along her lower lip, eliciting a moan from her in response. When her tongue brushed against mine I growled, pulling her even closer, my arms wrapped around her waist, pinning her to me.

I couldn't get close enough, and my dick was all too eager to remind me that there was a very simple remedy for my current dilemma. But it was more than that. I wanted anything and everything she was willing to give me. Meeting Jo had filled a void I'd never even knew I possessed. She left me thirsty with longing for a life I didn't know I wanted until I found it.

The need for oxygen broke us apart as my eyes drifted over her face. Her hair was tussled and windblown from the ride, her lips deliciously red and swollen from our kiss, her eyes content, she was fucking beautiful. She smiled at me shyly, running her hand down my face tenderly. She took a deep breath, wincing from the pain in her ribs.

"Get some sleep, and take your pill. I can tell you're in pain," I told her, lightly placing a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight."

She nodded and I gave her a crooked smile as I walked back to my motorcycle. I gave her one last look before heading home for the night. I knew this moment had changed my life forever. She was the reason for my existence, and I was willing to do whatever it took to keep her safe.

As I drove back home I tried to decipher the fleeting look of worry that had crossed her face as I left. I was sure it had something to do with what we'd discovered tonight, but my gut told me there was more to it.

There was a storm coming. A raging inferno of hostile combat that we might not all survive, and we had placed ourselves directly in its path. Jo had the look of a woman readying herself for battle. She was steeling herself for what lie ahead. It was what she was used to, what she was good at. She'd always had that look about her, that look of otherness. Like she'd seen far too much, and it brought about thoughts that carried her off the edge of the world.

Yeah, Jo had the look of a woman prepared to face the wrath of the storm alone to protect the one's she loved. I hated to break it to her, but she'd never be alone again.

Not as long as I was still breathing.

* * *

 **angelicedg: Sooo much fun to write drugged up Jo :) I'm glad you liked the last bit. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, thanks for reading/reviewing!**

 **thakidisbac: I know exactly what you mean. When I'm writing it I always have that story up and re-read the parts before I write Owen's. It's kinda cool to see it take shape from both of their perspectives. Thanks for reading and reviewing, it means a lot!**

 **BlueEyedPisces: Nice work with the trashcan punch. These days I'm down for the count after one beer. I'd probably go into a coma if I got within 10 feet of trashcan punch, so much props! I hear you on Owen, poor guy, but I think he knows what he's signing up for when it comes to Jo :) I loved using the greek tragedy line, always cracks me up! Thanks for sticking with the story!**

 **LynxOnSmoothies: I tried to put Skeletor in this chapter, but when I re-read it, it just didn't fit. She was just kinda "there" for no reason other than it makes me laugh in a sadistic kinda way. But don't worry, I'll figure it out. Skeletor is never far...LOL! When this story is done I'm going to start on the sequel to BJW. It will takes us through the events of the movie, with some additions/deviations since Jo will be there, but it will stay true to the general plot. I'm thinking of telling chapters from either Owen or Jo's perspective depending on whose perspective would give us the best insight. I don't think I'll do another complete story from both POVs. Thoughts? Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)**

 **jahoney: I'm sorry the last chapter didn't live up to the hype. I understand what you are saying and tried to address some of those issues in this chapter. Hopefully, it worked. Let me know what you think. I was definitely trying to delve a little deeper into what everyone is feeling and how it is affecting their decisions in this chapter. Again, thanks for your insight and comments!  
**


	8. Building Sheds

**This one is dedicated to CopperMax who blew my mind with their drawing...you've got some serious chops my friend!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8 – Building Sheds and Other Near Death Experiences**

As it turns out, finding information about the raptors and the I-Rex was the easy part. Figuring out how to break into the server room and steal the classified information undetected was proving to be a bit of a challenge.

When I was in the Navy I had no problem coming up with infiltration and recovery plans, but then again, I also didn't have to worry about not blowing anything up or making sure everyone was breathing in the end. Being a civilian was so limiting.

"OK, what about tunneling in from a sewer or something?" Jo pondered, looking at Barry and me with wide, hopeful eyes.

"I've seen this one," Barry responded, shaking his finger in contemplation. "It was about a prison break, right?"

"The Shawshank Redemption," I answered, confirming his suspicions.

Unfortunately, this was about as far as we'd gotten in the planning stages. Jo coming up with ridiculous ideas based around various movie plots, and me staunchly shooting them down. I'd naively thought she'd run out of movies last week, but this woman's knowledge of cinema was scary.

"Technically, he tunneled out through a wall then crawled through a sewer," Jo clarified. "My plan is totally different."

"And yet, still completely implausible," I smiled at her as she stuck her tongue out, crossing her arms over her chest. I grinned back at her, and saw the corners of her mouth twitch.

"Well, you didn't even consider the possibility of sky diving off a helicopter, onto the roof…"

I held my hand up, "Just stop. We've been over this."

"Mission Impossible!" Barry chimed in, clearly excited at finally placing the reference. "I liked that idea."

"Thank you Barry," Jo exclaimed, smiling at Barry and giving him a high five. "At least someone appreciates my out of the box thinking."

"Please don't encourage her," I told Barry before turning to Jo, "And you, might be a good idea if you took a break from the planning portion for a while."

Jo glared at me in return. "I want my Mission Impossible DVDs back."

Sure thing, I'd get right on that. She had a better chance of finding Jimmy Hoffa.

And so the weeks progressed with no viable solutions to our problem. Today was Sunday and we decided to kill two birds with one stone by starting my DIY extension while simultaneously attempting to come up with a feasible plan.

"Why are we building the shed again?" Jo grumbled.

"Workshop," I clarified, "And for the 100th time, I need storage space. Come on, it will be fun. It's not like you have anything better to do."

"Oh, I'm sure I could come up with something," she complained.

I slung my arm around her shoulder, guiding her over to the supplies. "Chin up Josephine, I promise to make it worth your while."

"It's only worth my while if it involves me, you, and some whip cream," she muttered, clearly unaware she speaking out loud.

I stopped, pulling her towards me and crushing my lips against hers. She opened her mouth to me, brushing her tongue against mine and I completely forgot the point of this afternoon's activities.

"I swear, you two need supervision at all times. Get a room, my eyes!" Barry called out from behind me. "Do you think you could keep your tongues in your respective mouths long enough for us to finish this?"

I was going to assume that question was rhetorical.

"You know if I didn't like him so much I'd shoot him. He's got the worst timing," she said softly, kissing the corner of my mouth with a devilish grin.

I smiled down at her, watching as her gaze darted to my mouth, her eyes darkening with lust. I knew if I didn't put some distance between us I wouldn't be building a workshop in the near future.

"I happen to have some whip cream inside with your name on it," I told her, smirking.

"You know, the only thing keeping me from dying of embarrassment right now is the fact my imagination is off and running with all the things I could accomplish with those simple ingredients."

I debated telling Barry to go home. Who needed a workshop when you had a woman fantasizing about licking whip cream off you?

I needed a cold shower or a lobotomy.

"I'm gonna hold you to that," I promised, kissing her lightly on the forehead before walking back to Barry. "Can you get the nail gun set up and the lumber organized?"

She waved her hand at me dismissively, ranting about unfair working conditions.

"What do ya think, buddy?" I asked Barry as he examined the spot we'd picked out for the workshop.

"I think you're both hopelessly in love, and will live happily ever after," he joked, unable to contain his laughter.

"Thanks for the insight Dear Abby, but I was referring to the workshop."

He laughed, clapping me on the shoulder, "Never thought I'd see the day."

I shook my head. "Are you done?"

"Sure thing," he snorted.

I swear it was like being friends with a teenage girl. Thankfully, after just seven more minutes of teasing we were able to get down to the business of actually building the workshop. It didn't take long for the heat from the midafternoon sun to take its toll. I'd peeled my shirt off after only a half hour, and was drenched in sweat and sawdust. Even the cool ocean breeze was doing little to lessen the oppressive working conditions. Maybe Jo had a point about keeping my storage unit.

"Jo, can you bring the nail gun over?!" I yelled. I could hear her fumbling around, moving the lumber as she tried to locate the gun.

"Where did I put that fucking…" she trailed off, looking under every piece of wood for the missing nail gun. "Ah ha, found it!"

Jo was meticulously organized in her professional life, but her personal life looked like the aftermath of Hurricane Gordon. By the end of the week her camper always looked like it could be featured on an episode of 'Hoarders'. She told me one day that she completely understood the concept of cleaning; just not as it applied to her.

"This thing is awesome," Jo mumbled, making her way over to us. She flipped the nail gun over in awe clearly never having seen one. I saw her out of the corner of my eye whip the nail gun up Wyatt Earp style, pretending to shoot it, and shook my head. The woman normally had enough weapons stashed on her to stage a coup in a small country, but was fascinated by a nail gun. Go figure.

I picked up two pieces of lumber, stepping slightly to the right in order to hand them to Barry who was perched on a ladder. I heard a pop come from behind me, followed closely by a whistling sound as a nail whizzed past my leg, missing it by an inch. The nail embedded itself in the side of my bungalow with such force the nail head was flush with exterior.

"Oh snap," Jo gasped in horror. "Did I do that?"

Silently, I looked at the nail, then to Jo, then back at the nail. Barry climbed down from the ladder, examining the minuscule distance from the nails final location and my leg. He looked at Jo, raising his eyebrows in question.

"OK, that was my bad," she said sheepishly, cringing.

Stalking over to her I yanked the nail gun out of her hands. "I think you're done here."

Deciding it was infinitely safer for everyone involved if Jo refrained from anymore DIY I set her up in a chair with my laptop. Part of it was self-preservation since she clearly couldn't be trusted with power tools, but mainly I just didn't want to deal with setting up my email. Claire was riding my ass about it, which meant she was harassing Barry daily via email, text, and phone. I'm fairly certain she was close to sending flying pigeons or trying to communicate with smoke signals. Frankly, I wasn't sure how much more Barry could tolerate before he snapped. His self-control was the stuff of legends, but Claire could break a person faster than an interrogator at Gitmo when she put her mind to it.

Ultimately, it was my procrastination issues that led to a breakthrough in our plan. OK, I really couldn't take much credit other than blackmailing Jo into setting up my computer, she did the rest, but I still maintain this was a solid contribution. It was hard to believe after weeks of outrageous ideas and failure in the end all we needed was an investor's gala and Jo's boobs to pull it off. In theory anyway.

I was still somewhat hesitant, but with no other options and a truncated timetable we were running with it. I wasn't surprised the computer nerd who was going to "lend" us his access card was smitten with Jo. She was undeniably gorgeous, and utterly clueless about her effect on people. She opted more for practicality in her appearance rather than spending frivolous effort to impress others. She refused to censor her opinions or attitude because she didn't believe in bullshit, and she'd lived through situations where sugar coating a situation could mean the difference between life and death. She refused to change who she was just so others might like her because she'd been on her own so long she'd learned to function in solitude.

In short, she was just Jo, and you either accepted her or you didn't. I was pretty sure half the island was in love with her and the other half wanted to murder her. There wasn't really middle ground when it came to Jo, you either loved her or you hated her. I knew where I stood.

Now, only a few weeks later the gala was upon us. Tomorrow night we'd either have some answers or we'd all be facing felony charges. I put our chances somewhere in the neighborhood of 70/30.

"I heard a funny story about Jo, a gyrosphere, and a .40 caliber Glock," Barry teased as we carried buckets of dead rats up the stairs at the paddock.

I snorted, turning to look at him out of the corner of my eye. "That sounds like the start to a really bad joke."

He laughed, "No kidding. Did she really shoot at the guy?"

"Technically she shot the gyrosphere, he just happen to be inside at the time," I explained.

Totally splitting hairs, but that was a direct quote from Jo when I'd asked her about the incident. Simon had called asking if I could, in any way, help ensure Jo stopped shooting at people. I didn't tell him there was a better chance of me riding a raptor home than getting Jo to do anything someone else told her, but I promised him I'd do my best. And by do my best I meant trying not to laugh too hard as she explained, in detail, the look on the guys face as she shot at the gyrosphere. I'd have paid money to be there. Those gyrosphere's were a plague upon mankind.

"I love how Mr. Masrani's face gets all red when she calls them hamster balls," Barry chuckled.

I smiled with him. "If you think that's bad you should see how batshit crazy the marketing execs go when she says it."

Barry grinned in response as he set up the buckets at opposite ends of the catwalk. The girls were loose in the paddock, running in a group behind Blue just killing time as they waited for me to begin today's training session.

The raptors had made huge strides in the last few weeks. It was exhilarating to watch them progress, but slightly terrifying if Jo's suspicions about InGen's true motives were correct. I loved my girls and there was no way I'd let Hoskins or anyone else turn them into a weapon. They may appear tame, in certain situations, but they were vicious, cunning, wild animals that would just as soon eat someone as listen to them.

I snapped my clicker, drawing their attention to me as I stood in the middle of catwalk. They all slide to a stop below me, patiently waiting for my command. Well, patiently for a raptor.

It never ceased to amaze me that they accepted me as their alpha. I remember the first time I saw them in their incubators at the lab. I'd slept in that tiny room in an uncomfortable plastic chair for days waiting for them to hatch; afraid to even go the bathroom for fear I'd miss their birth. I had no idea what it felt like to see your child for the first time, but watching the girls break out of their eggs was life altering. I'll never forget their tiny eyes finding mine, almost in question as we studied each other. I forgot to breathe as I watched them struggle to stand, then as they gained some confidence exploring further and further within their cages.

The technicians thought I'd lost my ever-loving mind when I'd reached inside to hold Blue, but I knew she wouldn't hurt me. Well, she did bit the shit out of my thumb, but it was nothing more than a flesh wound, a glorified paper cut. She wasn't big enough yet to do any real damage, but her teeth were still razor sharp. I had to take the opportunity to hold them while I could. It wouldn't take long for them to grow so big handling them in any way outside of containment would mean almost certain death. It's one of my most sacred memories of my girls. Something only we shared, something only we could understand.

Behavioral research was tedious and frustrating work, but watching the animals grow, being a part of their learning process was extraordinary. Humans rarely get to witness animal behavior in its purest form. The kind of work we were doing here, with dinosaurs no less, was on the cutting edge of science. Most people believed it was a matter of control, but they were wrong. The foundation of my success was based on the fact I'd built a relationship with my girls based on mutual respect. The girls were more than just animals to me, they were my family.

I took the girls through their paces, correcting behavior with my clicker as I went. They'd gotten so good lately I only needed it for minor behavioral adjustments. I'd even been able to get them to respond to voice commands on occasion, which was something I was keeping under wraps for as long as possible.

With today's session in the books I made a point of addressing each raptor individually before praising them and tossing them a rat. They'd more than earned it with their stellar behavior today. I was smiling as I turned to see Barry and Jo watching me.

"Nice man, they did well today," he said.

"Good day." As outwardly confident as I appeared, I'd never been one to handle praise well. I blame it on my father. I remember him telling my brother and me that it didn't matter how big your house was, what kind of car you drove, or how large your bank account was because in the end our graves would all be the same size. He'd always conclude his monologue with, "stay humble sons" before marching off to do whatever 'Honey Do List' my mother had waiting for him. "We need to get them into containment so the vet techs can check them real quick. Then we can let them out for the rest of the day."

Barry nodded, making his way down the stairs leaving Jo and I to walk together. She was dressed like Lara Croft again today, but I noticed she'd left the heavy weaponry in the car. The only visible sign she was armed was the knife strapped to her right bootleg. Anyone who took that as a sign she wasn't dangerous was either stupid or suicidal, Jo _was_ a weapon.

I nudged her shoulder lightly, holding out my hand for the candy I knew she had stashed somewhere. She dug into a cargo pocket, pulling out a bag of Skittles and dumping out a generous handful. I'd asked her once why she wasn't on a perpetual diet like most woman and she'd told me she'd tried it once, but the most she'd been able to accomplish was buying cupcakes without the sprinkles. I grinned down at her as we continued towards the containment units.

"You hanging out for a while or have some behavior to assess elsewhere?" I asked her.

"Actually, Simon wanted a visual inspection of the raptor paddock. Can I knock it out now since the girls are in containment?"

"Sure, go ahead around. I gotta head back upstairs I forgot the buckets, you good by yourself?"

"Yes mom," she answered with a wink.

Smartass.

I shook my head at her, heading back up the stairs. I heard the paddock doors beeping, opening then closing again as Jo made her way inside. I'd just grabbed the last bucket when one of the new hires, Tom I think his name was, approached me with some maintenance questions.

Turnover was a bit of an issue when dealing with Velociraptors so it seemed like we were dealing with new hires every few months. Our last maintenance guy quit after Blue nearly relieved him of his arm when he wandered too close to the paddock cage. His biggest mistake was turning his back on the girls, and I'd made a point since to ensure everyone understood the dangers of losing focus around these animals. Everything here was life and death.

The shrill ring of an alarm snapped my attention away from the conversation. I gripped the railing of the catwalk, my stomach bottoming out as I listened to the unmistakable ring signaling the containment units were open. I closed my eyes briefly, silently hoping that the situation below would magically change once I opened them again.

Since this wasn't a Harry Potter novel when my eyes opened, mere milliseconds later, they instantly found Jo standing dead still in the middle of the raptor paddock. Her body was ramrod straight, her eyes wide with panic as she shook her head attempting to process the situation. I felt the bile rise in my throat as I spotted the girls racing into the enclosure.

"Jo!" I screamed, not even attempting to keep the panic out of my voice.

My warning snapped her out of her trance and she spun on her heel, sprinting towards the exit gate. I ran towards the stairs taking them three at a time before jumping the last four, landing on the hard packet ground. I raced towards the exit to the paddock and even thought it was only 20 feet away it may as well have been 1,000. Jo was trapped inside the paddock with a pack of savage Velociraptors hunting her. I was petrified of what I would see when I finally made it to the gate.

As I barreled into the small unit I immediately noticed Barry had cracked the first exit gate just enough that Jo could dive under it, if she made it that far. It didn't take long to locate Jo as she sprinted at full speed towards us. Her arms and legs were pumping in a desperate attempt to put some distance between her and the girls. I could see the trees and bushes rustling behind her as the pack closed in, a clear signal the raptors had caught her scent. The alternating chips and growls made my heart beat so fast I thought I was having a heart attack. Jesus Christ, they were communicating, they were hunting.

When her eyes found mine she was 10 feet away from the gate. I was expecting to see outright panic, desperation, even fear reflected in her brown orbs, but what I saw scared me even more. Her face displayed only calm acceptance. She knew the chances of her getting out of that cage alive were minimal, and she was accepting her fate. She was telling me to close the gate.

Fuck. That.

"No!" I roared, "Move your ass Jo!"

I took a step towards the gate, a fucking ridiculous plan forming in my head. If she wasn't going to make it to the gate in time then I'd go to her. There wasn't a cold chance in hell I was going to just stand here and watch the girl's tear her to shreds. There was a small chance I could call them off, and even if that didn't work I could probably distract them enough so Jo could escape.

Barry grabbed my arm roughly, shoving me back. "Owen," he warned, his eyes pinning me in place.

A malicious snarl sounded from inside the paddock drawing our attention. Blue burst out from the bushes, the rest of the pack hot on her heels. The proximity of the raptors was all the motivation Jo needed to pick up the pace. She was lighting fast under normal circumstances, but being stalked by raptors made her so fast she was almost hard to track.

Less than three feet from the gate she lunged forward in a headfirst dive under the steel door. I swear to god the raptors were so close I wouldn't have been surprised if Blue took a bite out of her boot. Her momentum carried her under as she barrel rolled several times before coming to a stop on her back. Before Jo had even cleared the gate Barry had the gate closing, and it finished with a resounded 'thump' as the raptors slammed into the metal with an echoing crash. They snapped, snarled and growled, attempting to reach anyone who was stupid enough to get close.

I whirled around, making a beeline for the woman sprawled out on the ground. I slid to a stop next to her, assessing her body for injuries as she panted heavily, her eyes squeezed closed.

"Am I dead?" she whispered, barely able to talk between breaths.

I checked every inch of her, twice, and somehow found her unscathed. How she'd managed to out run a pack of raptors and live to tell the tale was a miracle. Assured that she was alive and uninjured I grabbed her roughly, hauling her into my lap. I crushed her to me; wrapping my arms around her so tight I wasn't sure she'd be able to breathe. Her arms curled around my waist as she buried her head in my neck, her ragged breathing turning to sobs.

I felt tears prick my own eyes and blinked them away rapidly. I ran my hands through her hair whispering to her softly that she was OK, over and over again. Her hands gripping the back of my shirt, pulling me closer as she burrowed even deeper into me like I could shield her from the world. I had the sudden realization that I was holding the most precious thing in the world to me.

"Jesus, I thought I lost you," I murmured against her ear. I was paralyzed with fear at the thought of losing her.

She cried softly against my chest, sniffling. "I'm fine. I just need a minute. I don't want Barry thinking I'm going soft or anything."

I choked out a strangled laugh, continuing to rub circles on her back. Only Jo would attempt to joke at a time like this.

"Please stop almost dying," I begged.

"I swear I'm not doing it on purpose," she promised. I believed her. Somehow she just attracted shitty, dangerous, life threatening situations wherever she went. If it weren't for shitty luck she'd have no luck at all.

I pulled back slowly, holding her head in my hands. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, she was covered in dirt, and her hair looked like a raccoon had taken up residence, but she was alive. I shook my head, kissing her forehead lightly before hauling her onto her feet. Her legs wobbled as she grabbed my arm to steady her balance. I wrapped my arm around her waist giving her a slight squeeze to let her know I meant what I said, I had her. She smiled at me in response.

"Jo, my god, are you OK?" Barry asked, still looking like he might throw up.

"I'm OK Barry," Jo replied, trying to look like she hadn't just almost been eaten by raptors. She failed miserably. "I appreciate you opening the gate, but you shouldn't have done it. I'm not worth it."

My entire body locked up at her words as I twirled her around to face me. This self-deprecating, "I'm not worth it" shit had to stop now. Did she honestly believe that? She was worth it, and if it took the rest of my life I'd make her believe it.

"Don't say that Jo! Don't ever say something like that!" I screamed at her. She winced at my tone and I tried to feel bad about yelling at her, but I couldn't. She needed to understand how much she meant to me, to everyone. Her life wasn't a throw away. I had to help her see that.

"OK Owen, OK," she told me quietly, cupping the side of my face drawing my attention back to her. I felt her thumb caressing my cheek lightly as she nodded her head in understanding. We looked at each other, having a silent conversation only we could understand. Her gaze softened as the corners of her mouth tugged up in a smile. She understood my outrage regarding her comments. I let out a puff of air, sagging with relief.

"How did this happen? The girls were in containment and everyone knew Jo was in the enclosure?" I addressed Barry.

"I don't know. We need to check the security footage," he spit out.

Oh he was pissed now. Barry might seem like a pushover, but once he got bent out of shape he wasn't likely to forgive or forget. His grudges were like Gremlins; once you fed them after midnight they just multiplied.

The three of us slowly made our way back to the office. I kept Jo tucked against my side, her eyes downcast to avoid the gawking looks of the paddock workers. I glared at each and every person who looked our way, promising swift retribution if they didn't butt out and get back to work. They scattered like cockroaches when the lights came on.

Once inside our office I helped Jo to a chair. I noticed her shivering slightly from the adrenaline let down and draped my jacket over her shoulders. Her face was pale and her lips were pinched, I could tell she was deep in thought, no doubt trying to figure out what the hell had gone wrong today.

I joined Barry over at the computer as he combed through security footage looking for anything out of the ordinary. It shouldn't be too hard to find since there was only one place someone could release the girls from containment back into the paddock. Barry flipped through the screens looking for the correct camera before stopping on the one that should be pointed directly down at the confinement units and the big ass red button that released them.

All we saw on the monitor was static.

"What the fuck is this?" I questioned, trying to keep from losing my shit all over Barry. I knew it wasn't his fault, but he was the closest person to me at the moment.

"It malfunctioned," he told me skeptically.

Bullshit it malfunctioned. My shit didn't malfunction. If that camera was showing static it was because someone deliberately sabotaged it. My eyes swung to Jo who was chewing on her lip in silence, her eyes distant.

"What do you mean it malfunctioned?" I hollered, slamming down the mouse on the table. I was pretty sure that thing was toast.

"I'm not sure, but it recorded nothing but static from the time the girls were put into containment until right after Jo got out." Thankfully he was taking my anger in stride. He understood it wasn't directed and him, and was equally as pissed that apparently someone had just tried to kill Jo.

"That seems a little too convenient to be accidental," I offered, turning to Jo. "Any idea who might want you dead, Jo?"

I had a few thousand possibilities.

"Well, I did shoot at Danny a few weeks ago, but something tells me he doesn't have the stones to sic raptors on me in retaliation," she answered nonchalantly. Clearly she didn't think Dan was a viable suspect. I didn't either. I'd seen the guy and he looked like a Bible salesman or a tax attorney. It was the sweater vest.

Barry snickered as he dug around in his desk for something. I moved towards my own desk, picking up my keys and shutting down my laptop. Barry found the bag of Twizzlers he was looking for, tossing the unopened bag to Jo. She beamed back at him, ripping the bag open and shoving her half her face inside. Her methods of coping almost always involved candy, violence or both.

"I'm going to take Jo home. Tell control I want a list of anyone who accessed the paddock in the last 12 hours on my desk tomorrow. If they have time to cross reference that list with people Jo has shot then that would be helpful," I told Barry winking at Jo.

"Ha, ha." Her face was scowling, but her eyes sparkled with mischief.

After saying goodbye to Barry we silently made our way to the parking lot. I kept sneaking glances out of the corner of my eye at Jo in an effort to reassure myself she was OK. She didn't notice, lost in thought.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she murmured absently as she climbed into her Jeep.

My chest tightened at the thought of her leaving. I knew it was irrational, but I wanted her close to me, especially tonight. Before I could think better of it I walked to her car, grabbing the door before she could slam it closed. She looked up startled, her eyes silently asking what the fuck I was doing. I didn't have an answer for her, not a good one at least. I just knew I wasn't ready to let her leave.

"Will you please come to my house?" The pleading in my voice was unmistakable, and under normal circumstances I'd rather have my skin peeled off than sound desperate, but these weren't normal circumstances.

"Uh, OK," she said, her brows furrowed in an effort to decipher the meaning behind my request. "Can I charge first or should I come straight there?"

"Change, shower, whatever then come over, please," I told her not waiting for a response as I walked to my car.

As I drove out of the parking lot I saw her confused face in my rearview mirror. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility for Jo and me to spend time together outside of work. In fact, in the weeks after her accident it was common practice. This was different, at least for me.

Watching Jo run for her life today had shifted something inside of me. I always knew that I didn't have the safest job on the planet. Everyone who worked here understood you could literally be here one day and gone the next. It had never really entered into the equation because I was more than willing to accept the fact that the success of this program might come at the expense of my life. It was a price I was more than willing to pay. Don't get me wrong, I had no desire to be a midnight snack for the girls, but if there is one thing I'd learned in my time on this Earth it's that you can't plan for everything.

However, Jo's life in exchange for anything was simply too high a price to pay. Watching her almost die was like having my heart ripped clean out of my chest. I understood in that moment what it felt like to love something that death could touch. The fact that Jo could have died not knowing how I felt terrified me. I refused to sit idly by and do nothing about it. That changed, tonight.

Once I got home I changed out of my clothes into lose fit sweatpants and my favorite Navy T-shirt. I debated grabbing a beer as I made my way out onto the porch, but my stomach was still unsettled so I continued past the fridge. Standing at the porch railing watching the waves roll onto the beach did little to calm my nerves. I heard Jo climbing the stairs, but kept my eyes fixed on the horizon.

"Your shed looks fancy," she joked, the quip falling flat.

I laughed softly. "No thanks to someone. Want a beer?"

"Nah, as it turns out almost dying is exhausting. I'm tired."

I stiffened, unable to control the emotions bubbling back to the surface. I looked at Jo, noticing the dark, purplish bags under her eyes. I knew she was plagued by nightmares almost every night. The last thing she needed was more fuel for the fire.

I grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the door. "Come on inside."

She followed me inside silently, immediately collapsing onto my couch in exhaustion. I watched her lay her head back, closing her eyes as she snuggled into the armrest. I sat down beside her, putting my arm around her and pulling her against me. Her head lolled to the side coming to a stop on my shoulder with a plop. She sighed in content as she snuggled into me. Never in a million years would I have believed that Jo was a cuddler, but she was. She told me once that cuddling was scientifically proven to kill depression, alleviate anxiety, and it had the added bonus of ensuring her ice cold feet were kept warm. I didn't know if the first two were true, but had no doubts about the third one. Her feet were so cold it was like cuddling with an iceberg.

"I've been through a lot of things, but until today I've never been truly scared," I confessed, leaning my head against hers.

"I'm fine Owen," she told me, her voice muffled from leaning against me.

If only that was all I had to worry about.

"I know you are, but I saw the look on your face. You were ready to die in there and that terrifies me."

Her head popped up as she looked me square in the eye. "My life isn't worth anyone else's. If even one of those raptors got out it could be devastating. At the very least it would mean the end of your program. I don't want to be the cause of that."

I didn't give two shits about anything at this park if it meant Jo being hurt or worse.

"I understand that too, but you have no regard for your own well-being. You are so convinced your life is irrelevant. It keeps me up at night."

She dropped her gaze to her hands as she considered my words. I could see her trying to reconcile the fact that there was someone who actually cared what happened to her. It was a sobering realization that Jo had never had anyone in her life she could count on, who cared if she lived or died.

She yawned, her hand coming up late in an attempt to cover her mouth. Every time she blinked the time between when her eyes closed and when they opened again got longer and longer. Pretty soon she was just going to pass out.

"Come on," I said, pulling her off the couch towards my bedroom.

Suddenly she was wide-awake, digging her heels into the floor. "What…what are you doing?"

"We're going to bed," I explained, ignoring her panic. It was funny to see her freaking out over something as simple as sharing a bed with me. Normally she was so confident in everything she did it bordered on cocky, and that's saying something coming from the likes of me.

I continued into the bedroom, stripping off my shirt as I moved towards my side of the bed. She stayed rooted in the door, frozen by indecision. I could see her head swinging back and forth between the bed and me. Pulling back the covers I climbed in, glancing up at her.

"You alright there Jo? You're looking a little scary." She looked like she might either try to escape through a window or jump into bed and strip off all my clothes. I knew which one I was rooting for.

"Um…I…why exactly am I sleeping in your bungalow of love?"

I chuckled at her description of my camper. "Bungalow of love? I like it." I pulled back the covers on the other side of the bed, raising my eyebrows at her by way of an invitation. "Relax Jo, what I'm proposing is nothing more than sleep, come on."

Her mouth turned down in a frown, clearly disappointed as she mumbled, "What? Just sleep? Why can't we do other stuff?"

My dick twitched in response to her words and I had to stifle a groan. Was she trying to kill me?

"Oh, don't worry, there will be plenty of time for the other stuff," I told her huskily, my eyes promising more in the future. "But tonight, I just want you close. I…I need to know you're safe."

She slapped her hands over her mouth, squeezing her eyes closed in mortification. I'd never met anyone who inadvertently spoke without realizing it, but it was a charming personality trait. Plus, it had the added bonus of giving me some insight into a woman who harder to read than The Da Vinci Code.

A delightful blush was creeping up her neck onto her cheeks. Just when I thought she might spend the night standing in the doorway she starting shuffling towards the other side of the bed. She climbed in with about as much coordination as a baby giraffe learning to walk. She laid about as far away from me as she could get without falling on the floor, pulling the covers up to her chin in an attempt to hide. I turned off the bedside lamp, lying on my back with my hands under my head as I starred at the ceiling.

"You can come a little closer. I promise I don't bite. Unless, of course, you ask nicely." I was aiming for a light, somewhat playful tone, but my voice came out gravely with need. Having her inches away from me was agony.

Jo jumped in response, letting out a little yelp as she attempted to move even further away. "I'm good," she squeaked.

I ignored her discomfort as I worked through the more pressing issue of who was trying to kill her. All night I'd run through the possibilities in my head, but kept coming back to only one real contender.

"You know who released the raptors today, don't you?" I asked having rolled onto my side to face her.

The change in topic relaxed her and she rolled onto her side to face me, pushing one hand under her pillow. She searched my face in the darkness before her hand snaked out, her thumb caressing the wrinkles in my forehead as she frowned with displeasure at my worry.

"Yes," she answered truthfully.

At least we'd progressed past needless lying and time consuming misdirection. We had built a solid foundation for our relationship based on mutual respect, trust and communication. Sure, sometimes it was profanity laced, sarcastic communication, but it was still communication. We were taking it slow because Jo had never built a relationship with anyone so we had the equivalent of a lean-to constructed, but it was a start and it kept us out of the rain.

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before saying, "Hoskins."

I didn't phrase it like a question because I didn't have any doubt about who was behind the attempt on her life. Their dislike of each other was no secret, and Hoskins fear of Jo went beyond her smart mouth. He was worried she'd throw a wrinkle into whatever end game he was plotting.

She nodded, her hand dropping onto the bed in the space between us. I reached out, taking it in mine as I interlaced our fingers.

"You saw him at the paddock?" she asked.

"No, but there aren't a lot of people with the access to pull something like that off. Even less who would actually do it," I answered, rubbing circles absentmindedly on the back of my hand.

"Plus, he's a real douchebag." I grinned at her across the bed. Only Jo could bounce back this quickly.

"Very true." When I'd started at Jurassic World Claire had warned me about Hoskins. Never one to shed her professional demeanor she'd told me he was a good guy once you got to know him. What that really meant was he was a complete asshole, but I'd get used to it.

She yawned again, scooting closer to me. "It doesn't matter; we can't prove he did anything. Promise me you won't do anything stupid. I can handle Hoskins."

I knew she could handle Hoskins, that wasn't my issue. The problem was I wanted to rip his balls off and shove them down his throat, personally.

"I promise. This time," I swore. I'd let Jo handle for now, but if he made another move I'd kill him, slowly. Then I'd really go to work on him.

"Worst case scenario I can just shoot him," she joked, unfazed by the price on her head.

I laughed, pulling on her hand. "Come over here, you're about to fall off the bed."

She complied without comment, shifting even further over on the bed. Only inches separated us on the bed now, and I watched as her eyelids closed slowly as she fought her exhaustion.

"Goodnight Josephine," I told her quietly. She smiled with her eyes closed, squeezing my hand as she snuggled even deeper into her pillow.

"G'night Grady," she sighed dreamily already half asleep.

I watched as her breathing evened out signaling that she was asleep. She looked so much younger lying beside me, relaxed and unguarded. It was a rare to see her without her emotional armor. She'd lived a hard life, and it had crafted a somewhat rough exterior. But tonight, with the moonlight filtering through the small window dancing across her face she looked peaceful. I could only hope that things would stay that way.

As I drifted off to sleep, her hand firmly locked in mine, I thought about the moments that make up a life. I believed there were certain instances that could forever change your life. Moments when you realize nothing will ever be the same again. When these moments happen time is divided into two parts – before this, and after this.

Jo was my moment, and everything from this point on was "after her".

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 **thakidisbac: Yeah! I'm glad you liked it. We got a couple of other one's in this chapter...hope you enjoyed! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.**

 **angelicedg: You are most welcome and thanks for reading and reviewing. It means a lot that you are still with me, and hopefully you enjoy the latest installment.**

 **LynxOnSmoothies: I'm still debating the whole POV thing for the sequel...I'll let you know which way I'm leaning when I get close to finishing this story. I appreciate your comment, and was not trying to imply that geisha meant prostitute or anything derogatory. I was aiming for alluring, irresistible, compelling...anyways, after I read you review I changed the description to temptress. Hopefully you weren't offended, and if you were I apologize profusely. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I appreciate your insightful comments/reviews :)**

 **BlueEyesPisces: Poor Lowery :) I'm glad he and Jo are friends because he seems like he needs one...plus, so does Jo. I think I know where Skeletor will make her next appearance. I thought of it yesterday and it made me laugh just crafting the scene in my head so we'll see what you guys think about it in the next few chapters. The nail gun scene was fun to write, hopefully it is fun to read as well. Let me know!**

 **jahoney: I'm glad you enjoyed the peak into Owen's thoughts and processes. Your comments from the chapter before helped me focus a bit more on those minute details that can sometimes be overlooked in the greater scheme of the story. I'm keeping my fingers crossed I had the same focus here. There were a few times I felt myself glossing over details, and stopped myself so I could refocus and get that detail in there that can sometimes make all the difference. Hopefully you agree...I look forward to finding out. Enjoy!**


	9. Operation Dressed to Kill

**Apologies for the delay, I've been traveling for work. I'm posting a little early in hopes you will all forgive me.**

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 **Chapter 9 – Operation Dressed to Kill**

Music, that's what woke me the next morning. As far as I knew I hadn't set an alarm, and I knew for a fact the song I was hearing now was not of my doing. Craning my neck to look at the clock on the nightstand I saw it was still fairly early. Letting my head fall back on the pillow I looked down at the sleeping woman next to me. Her chestnut hair was fanned out behind her as she lay sprawled on top of me, her soft snores making me smile. Her head was nestled on my chest with one arm slung over my waist in contentment, like we slept like this every night. I peered down at her as she shifted closer to me, slinging her leg over mine, mumbling incoherently. Squeezing her closer I kissed the top of her head as her phone rang out in the other room, again. I heard Beyoncé's _Run the World (Girls)_ blare from the living room for what had to be the tenth time in less than an hour.

"Someone seems dead set on talking to you," I yawned.

I felt Jo shift slightly right before her entire body stiffened. It was a safe bet she was awake and keenly aware of our close proximity. I sighed lightly, keeping my fingers crossed that Jo wasn't about to freak the fuck out. Spending the night had been a huge step for her. Waking up cuddled against me sleeping so contently she was drooling on my chest was probably going to send her over the edge. With any other woman I'd hug her while whispering reassurances in her ear to calm her nerves, but with Jo I'd probably be better off tossing candy at her from a safe distance until she calmed down.

She slowly lifted her head off my chest, her sleepy eyes dragging over my face as she awkwardly wiped the corner of her mouth. Looking down into her brown eyes I felt my heart constrict. She was gorgeous. Even with a bedhead that resembled a nest for some kind of woodland creature, rumpled clothes, and drool running down her chin she was the most beautiful creature I'd ever laid eyes on.

It wasn't what the eye could see that had drawn me in hook, line, and sinker. Anyone with functioning corneas would agree that Jo was stunning, but it was what no one could see that held me captive. It was her soul that called to me. Her beautifully broken, tragically lost, and heartbrokenly lonely soul. A soul that I knew was just as much a part of me as my own beating heart.

She swallowed loudly and clumsily began the process of untangling our intertwined bodies. As soon as she was off me she shuffled back to her side of the bed, burying her face into the pillow, her ramblings inaudibly muffled.

"You're not going to freak out now are you?" I asked, trying not to laugh.

"Me? Nope. I'm totally and completely fine. No freaking out whatsoever," was her muted reply through the pillow.

A burst of laughter erupted as I climbed out of bed, walking to the living room to retrieve her phone. She was freaking out, which wasn't a surprise. I had faith in Jo even if she had little in herself; I knew she'd come around. Grabbing her phone off the counter I looked at the screen and my eyes widened. The ringtone now made sense as I saw Zara was the one stalker style calling and texting. Jo had once told me she was convinced Zara was an overachiever by day and superhero by night. I had to admit it was plausible, the woman was more organized than an Army General, and seemed to survive on nothing but energy drinks. I was fairly certain she was capable of taking over the world if the mood struck her.

Walking back into the bedroom I saw Jo buried under the covers on my side of the bed. Smiling slightly I looked down at her phone, confused.

I stopped just short of the bed, frowning at the phone as I read the text messages displayed. "You have five missed calls from Zara and about 15 text messages. I have to be reading these wrong because it says someone named Bilbo needs you for a final fitting."

"Tell her to leave me alone. The gala isn't until seven o'clock tonight. It can't possible take that long to get ready," Jo scoffed from beneath the comforter, not even attempting to dislodge herself from her cocoon.

I quickly typed a response into Jo's phone, but before I could even set it down a reply flashed across the screen.

"Zara says if you don't want to end up in neon pink taffeta you better be at headquarters by noon."

I'd never seen a person move so fast. One minute Jo was comatose in bed and the next she was flying at me, snatching the phone out of my hand. Her hands flew across the phone typing a text to Zara with speed only sheer terror could conjure. Women were strange, strange creatures.

"Do I want to know what that was all about?" I questioned, retreating to the kitchen.

"Not even a little," she murmured, following me. I glanced behind me and saw Jo sit down at the small kitchenette, chewing on her nails thoughtfully. Whatever Zara was threatening had her spooked. I started the coffee pot, grabbing two cups from the cabinet. I heard Jo stand up, coming into the kitchen standing next to me with her hip leaning against the counter.

"If I end up wearing 100 pounds of hideous fabric in a really off putting color you'll still talk to me tonight, right?" she begged.

I handed her a cup of coffee as a pondered her question. I tried to imagine Jo looking bad in anything, but was coming up blank. By the worried expression on her face she wasn't having any trouble.

"How hideous are we talking?" I asked her.

"Owen! I'm being serious. I need all the support I can get right now." She was whining at this point, and it was quite a sight. I decided to have mercy on her.

I gave her a crooked grin, placing my hand over my heart in pledge, "I promise to be your wing man no matter what."

"Thank god."

"You hungry?" It was mostly a rhetorical question.

"Is that a serious question?"

"Pancakes, bacon and eggs good with you?" I was pretty sure I heard her stomach growl in response. I'd take that as a yes.

"If that is what I get for almost getting eaten by raptors sign me up."

My hand stilled as I looked up at her, my expression hard. She grimaced, clearly uncomfortable.

"Too soon? Ok, got it. No almost getting eaten by raptor jokes yet," she apologized, sitting back down at the kitchenette.

No, it wasn't funny. It would never be funny, but that was how Jo dealt with things she couldn't handle. She either made it a joke or pretending it never happened. Obviously unhealthy, but we didn't have time to unlock the mystery's of Jo today. In less than eight hours we'd be committing about 13 felonies so our time was better spent elsewhere.

As I finished up breakfast I went over every step of our plan. Throughout the entire exchange Jo looked bored, and mostly grunted her response around a mouth full of food. She didn't really care about the details, and if left to her own devices would prefer no plan at all. She'd told me planning tended to inhibit her more spontaneous moments of brilliance. Considering this was a woman who once misplaced her phone in the fridge I wasn't too inspired with confidence, but it was too late to turn back now.

After shoveling the last of her pancakes into her mouth and actually licking the plate Jo checked her watched, muttering a curse as she stood up quickly.

"I gotta run and get slutted up. Thanks for breakfast," she smiled.

"What?" I stuttered, hot coffee spilling out of my mouth.

"I have to meet Zara by noon, and I still have to seduce Watson. I'll stop by before I head out. Barry will be here soon, right?" An involuntary hiss left my mouth as she described my least favorite part of our plan. I really hoped when this was all over I wasn't forced to kill Watson.

I nodded to her as she flashed me a brilliant, yet sarcastic smile, rushing out the door. I finished my coffee and quickly cleaned up the kitchen. My mind raced with all the negative possibilities that could come to fruition tonight. Our plan hinged on so many unknowns it would be a miracle if we pulled it off. The odds were definitely not in our favor, but the stakes were too high to do nothing.

I texted Barry before jumping in the shower. Considering it took about 10 minutes for me to get ready I had hours to kill before leaving for the gala. Barry would be by soon so we could ensure we had all the supplies needed for tonight, but we were essentially in a holding pattern until Jo confirmed she'd "borrowed" the access card.

After showering I grabbed a few beers and headed outside to wait for Barry. He arrived only a few minutes after I cracked open the first bottle.

"You got everything we need for tonight?" I asked as I handed him a beer.

Barry raised his eyebrows at me, "Seriously?"

I raised my hands in surrender. "Sorry, just checking. I know you weren't thrilled with lying to Hamada about why you needed it."

"Who says I lied?" Barry challenged.

"You didn't?" We hadn't expressly said we were going to lie to Hamada about why we needed three ear comm units for tonight without approval from headquarters, but it just seemed like the most logical approach considering our circumstances.

"I didn't say anything. I asked for the equipment, he gave me a hard look, and then handed it over. He may have added some not so subtle threats about keeping Jo out of trouble at the end, but I'm not sure."

"Why does he think Jo's involved?"

Barry gave me a look and I conceded. That was a stupid question.

"Do you think he knows what we're up to?" I asked.

Barry took a long pull of his beer before answering. "No, I don't think he knows specifics, but Hamada's a smart guy. He knows everything on this island isn't what it appears to be."

No shit.

I just hoped the level of fucked up wasn't as bad as we thought. Only time would tell. Barry and I fell into casual conversation avoiding anymore talk about tonight. You can only obsess for so long about something before it makes you a totally pussy. The conversation centered in on football, and I'd give Barry credit he was keeping his grumbling about American football to himself for the moment. I'd make a fan out of him yet.

I was a hair's breadth away from convicting him to join my fantasy football league when Jo rounded the corner officially short circuiting the wires in my brain. She was wearing a pair of pants that were so tight I positive they must be painted on. Her tank top was cut so low it was a miracle her breasts hadn't popped right out, and her hair was wild, lose and spilling all around her in messy waves carried by the wind. My eyes traveled down her body and my confusion intensified, she was wearing heels. Well, at least I thought they were heels. They were thick and appeared to be made of some kind of corkboard or maybe it was wicker. Whatever it was it was a clear departure from the Jo who sported combat boots and 9mm pistols.

"I'm headed out. I'll meet you guys at the reception tonight. Call me if anything changes between now and then. Don't get so hammered you forget the supplies," she said quickly, distracted looking down at her phone.

Our lack of response drew her attention away from her phone as she looked up, confused.

"What?" she asked, glancing back and forth between us.

I looked over at Barry who was doing a pretty decent impression of a fish, his mouth opening and closing in rapid succession with his eyes wide. Yep, that did it. I snapped my own mouth closed, getting up and crossing the porch to stand in front of her. It accomplished two things, one Barry was no longer able to gawk at her and two, I had a much closer view.

As I inspected her outfit again I couldn't help but lick my lips. She looked good, too good. I was tempted to say the hell with the tonight. I could think of about 100 other more productive ways to spend the day.

"You think it will do the trick? How's my ass look?" she questioned, turning around to give me a clear view.

Jesus Christ, she was trying to kill me. My imagination was running wild with thoughts of what I would like to do with that ass. Starting by bending her over the porch railing and…

I grabbed her by her arm, dragging her down the stairs and around the corner. I didn't need Barry sitting behind me as I fantasized about Jo.

"Is this what you meant by slutty?"

"Well, yeah. Although, I was aiming more for high class slut rather than your typical run of the mill hoe bag."

I wasn't aware there were different categories of sluts, but apparently I was wrong. Who knew?

One thing I knew for certain was Watson wouldn't give two shits what kind of slut Jo was aiming for because once he got a look at her dressed like this he'd probably have an aneurism. I pinched the bridge of my nose muttering under my breath. I really freaking hated this part of the plan.

"You don't think this will work?" She bit her lip self-consciously as her eyes darted back towards her camper.

"Oh, it will work alright," I told her in a hard voice. "A little too well."

Her eyes lite up and she smiled shyly at my admission, pleased with the affect her ensemble was having on me. I shook my head back at her. The woman had me practically at her mercy and I hadn't even seen her in her evening gown yet. It'd be a miracle if I survived the night.

"I'll see you tonight," she said, smiling slightly as she stepped forward. I closed the distance between us lightly brushing a kiss against her forehead.

"See you tonight." I turned and briskly walked back onto the porch. I heard Jo curse as her phone rang, and she peeled out of my driveway with purpose. Zara was one scary woman.

Barry and I sat on my porch drinking beer, both if us pretending like we weren't waiting for a phone call to tell us Jo had been arrested. I checked my watch for the 100th time only to see barely an hour had crept by as I finished my beer. We might want to pace ourselves or we'd be shitfaced long before we got to the gala.

"She'll be fine," Barry stated. I'm not sure who he was trying to convince.

"Yeah, I know."

I had nothing but complete faith in Jo, but the fact that our fate rested in some guy's obsession with her ass wasn't a lot to go on. The scenarios running through my mind were getting more and more outlandish the longer it took to get the signal. If this kept up I'd die from stress long before the gala started.

I was reaching for another beer when my phone sprang to life, the theme for The X-Files jarring my thoughts. Barry paused mid-drink looking at me expectantly.

"What?" I answered defensively, "It's Jo. You know how she gets when she's got too much time on her hands. Check your phone, ten bucks says she's assigned ringtones to at least half your contacts."

I opened Lowery's text as Barry investigated his own cell phone.

 _Operation Dressed to Kill is a go. – Lowery_

I rolled my eyes before texting him back.

 _Got it. Stop coming up with stupid names. – Owen_

 _Sorry. – Lowery_

I set my phone back on the table, looking towards Barry.

"She's got it. Guess we're doing this after all." Barry didn't respond as he scrolled through his phone shaking his head. "How many did she get to?"

"Almost half," he answered, puzzled. "When could she have done this? And how did she get in? It's password protected."

I laughed, "You think a four digit password is going to stop a bored Josephine whose out on medical leave? Come on man."

"Good point." Barry continued looking at his phone before a booming laugh erupted from him. "Did you see what Mr. Masrani's ringtone is?"

I shook my head no as Barry hit the play button, sitting back still laughing. _For the Love of Money_ by The O'Jays boomed from his phone. The distinctive intro on the guitar playing before the lyrics _"money, money, money, money…money!"_ filled the humid afternoon air. I tilted my head back laughing harder than I had in a really long time. We spent the rest of the afternoon scrolling through our respective phones.

Before I knew it Barry was leaving to get ready as I pulled out my 3-piece tuxedo. I hated wearing this thing, but Simon wasn't the type of man who allowed his employees to show up at gala's wearing board shorts and flip-flops. I supposed it was a small price to pay for working with prehistoric dinosaurs, and thankfully these things weren't that common. Besides, it was the funding from tonight that would run my program for the next few years. I knew there would be a multitude of people who wanted to talk to me tonight. The raptors were the most recognizable dinosaur on the island besides the T-Rex, and even though they weren't an officially attraction, yet, the donors were more than willing to give simply based on the possibilities.

Climbing into my Jeep I made my way towards headquarters. It had turned into a beautiful evening, but that was really nothing new for Isla Nublar. The closer I got to headquarters the more my anxiety level ratcheted up. By the time this was over I'd need prescription meds.

I parked my Jeep, following the crowds inside to the gala. The place was packed and I was keenly aware that I was about half an hour past fashionably late. Exiting the elevator I scanned the room looking for Jo, but saw no sign of her. I had no idea what she was wearing, but I figured a gigantic ball of pink taffeta wouldn't be hard to find.

As I made my way through the crowds I was stopped by numerous individuals all wanting to know more about the raptors. In reality they just wanted a gruesome, somewhat believable tale to take home with them once their "adventure" here was over. I played my part because it was a necessary evil, even if I hated it.

I had just extricated myself from another group, steadfastly promising a tour of the raptor paddock just as soon as it was safe. I had to bit my tongue to keep from telling them the raptor paddock would be safe somewhere around the 30th of February.

I had only taken a few steps when my path was cut off by a massive ball of bedazzled sequins in the most off putting color of yellow I'd ever seen. It reminded me of jaundice, and I felt my stomach constrict in actual fear when I realized who was wearing the monstrosity.

Skeletor.

For fuck's sake, I didn't think it was possible for the woman to look worse than she normally did, but the proof was standing in front of me. She'd somehow squeezed her wrinkled, disproportional body into skintight jaundice dress that wouldn't look good on Gisele Bündchen. Her leather like skin was spilling out over the fabric in horrendous roles as she attempted to defy gravity, and the laws of nature, with nothing but Spanx. I hear women swear by those things, but someone needed to tell Skeletor they weren't magical.

Her hair was in some elaborate twist that had so much hairspray in it that if anyone decided to light a match we'd all be goners. I'm 100% sure she thought it looked amazing, but in reality it looked like she'd stuck her finger in a light socket.

Just when I thought the pain train couldn't get any worse I got a good look at her face. She had caked her makeup on with the precision of a snow blower. I tried not to grimace, I really did, but then she smiled at me, and her lips got caught on the seven pounds of lipstick stuck to her teeth. The only good news about her lipstick smeared teeth was it detracted slightly from her long, hawkish, slightly crooked nose. Almost.

"Mr. Grady, where's the fire?" she managed to wheeze out between vicious coughing fits. I clamped my mouth closed in an attempt to keep the vomit down as her stale cigarette breath washed over me. "How about you buy a lady a drink?"

Sure thing. All I needed was a lady.

I grimaced as she took a step closer, her hand sneaking around my waist then down to my ass. Fuck my life, did this lady not get the same sexual harassment training every quarter I did. This was definite red light behavior.

"Well, not that I wouldn't like to, but I have to…" I trailed off.

I had to what? Get as far away from you as humanly possible, run like a raptor was chasing me, or I don't know, jump out a window. Somehow I doubted any of those responses were party appropriate.

Skeletor leaned in, running her hands down my chest while purring. Well, at least I thought she was trying to purr. Her voice was so gravely from years of smoking it ended up sounding more like a car backfiring. Someone just kill me now.

"You know, I have a room for the night," she told me seductively, squeezing my ass.

Oh, there wasn't a cold chance in hell that was happening. I'd cut my own arm off before I let this sea donkey take me anywhere.

I saw Barry out of the corner of my eye and lunged for him. "Barry, hey, good to see you," I blurted out, quickly stepping out of her clutches. I hauled Barry over to me, firmly planting him in front of Skeletor.

"This is…" I hesitated. What the fuck was this woman's actual name? "Uh, Mr. Masrani's secretary. I have to go meet the guy, to talk about that thing. Why don't you two enjoy a drink."

I'm not ashamed to admit I actually sprinted away. At this point I wasn't sure who I was more scared of, Skeletor's roaming hands or the clear retribution I saw in Barry's eyes. I felt bad, dealing with Skeletor was like taking a punch to the dick, nothing good ever came of it.

Wandering around the ballroom I scanned for Jo. I'd just left a group of potential donors, turning to walk away when I saw her. She was standing next to the bar talking with an older gentleman who clearly was incapable of picking up on social cues. Jo might as well have been holding a sign that said, "Not fucking interested", but the man was blissfully unaware.

As I took her in I felt my breath catch in my throat, my hand coming up to cover my heart in an attempt to coax its erratic beating. Everything else in the room faded until my tunnel vision saw only Jo. There was no helping my heart because standing less than 10 feet away from me was the most agonizingly beautiful woman I'd ever seen.

Her dress was breathtaking, not quite white, yet not quite cream, somewhere just in-between. It seemed to be alive, shifting and shimmering as she moved. Her back was to me and I swallowed heavily as I took in the fine lines of her exposed skin. I was momentarily caught up in the physics of the whole thing. Her entire back was bare, the dress dipping so low as to almost expose her supple ass. I could see what looked like thin straps curving over her delicate shoulders, but for the life of me I had no idea how the dress was staying on. It was a testament to man's ingenuity, that's for sure.

I shook myself out of my daze, moving towards her at the bar. Her hair was flowing down her back in rolling chestnut waves. I'd never noticed how long and silky it was until now, and I had the urge to run the strands between my fingers to see if it was as soft as it looked.

The man she was talking to leaned into her, smiling as he licked his lips. It did not escape my attention as his eyes darted down in an attempt to sneak a peak. Jesus, where did Simon find these guys? Whatever he'd said had pissed Jo off as she placed her wine glass down on the bar, straightening her posture, her arms rigid at her side.

Now directly behind her, I pressed my hand against her back, and felt my world tilt at the touch of her skin. Christ, I was like a teenager walking around with a semi-hard on just from touching a girl. She sighed in relief, sagging back against me.

"Sorry I'm late babe," I apologized, placing a kiss against her cheek. "Owen Grady, it's a pleasure to meet you," I told the man standing next to her.

"Richard Matthews, it's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you," he responded, clearly unhappy with my intrusion.

"I can only take credit for the good stuff," I said laughing as I guided Jo away, "If you'll excuse us I need to make amends to my beautiful date for being late. Have a good evening."

I held her hand as I led her towards the dance floor in the middle of the room. I pulled her onto the floor as the band shifted into a slower tune I recognized as John Legend's, All of Me. I turned slowly, getting my first real glimpse of her. I lost all rational thought as I stared at her. I thought she was a sight to behold from the back, but seeing her now was like waking up from a dream. It was like someone had pulled her straight from my fantasies.

I tugged her towards me, placing my right hand at the small of her back as she warped her left arm around my shoulder. I tucked her smaller hand into my own, placing it against my chest as I began to sway to the music.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Owen, I don't know how to dance," she whispered rapidly.

I grinned down at her, amused. "That's not true. I caught the show at the bonfire, remember?"

She gave me a look in return. OK, so she had a point there. Whatever she had done at the bonfire barely qualified as dancing. It was more like watching someone have a seizure standing up, but I could work with that.

"Owen," she hissed, panic setting in.

"Relax Jo, everyone can dance. Just follow my lead."

I kept our pace slow, letting her adjust to the rhythm of my steps. It didn't take long for her to relax into my embrace as I carried us across the dance floor.

"You're kinda late you know," she chastised.

A part of me felt bad. Who knew what Jo had to endure getting ready for tonight, but if I ever saw Zara again I'd kiss her.

"You can't rush perfection," I teased as she scoffed in return. She may have acted unaffected, but I'd seen her checking me out. It made me want to bang on my chest or something equally as childish. I wasn't too proud to admit that if dressing like this made a woman like Jo look at me like she was right now I'd wear this thing every day. She didn't even look at her candy stash as longingly as she was looking at me, and that was saying something.

"Everyone's looking at us," she murmured self-consciously. Her eyes darted around the room before she ducked her head, attempting to hide.

"They're not looking at us. They're looking at you."

She pulled back, her eyes searching mine in question

"Don't look so surprised," I told her as we continued to dance. "The way you look tonight I would expect nothing less."

Her face fell immediately as she attempted to pull away from me.

"Yeah, it's pretty bad. I asked for plain, boring even, but Bilbo isn't my biggest fan," she said dejectedly. "The hair, the dress, the makeup, it's too much."

I stopped abruptly, causing her to stumble. I looked at her seeing the sincerity of her words reflected on her face. I'd never met anyone who could be so confident in one aspect of her life, yet utterly unsure in another.

"Jo, this room is full of some of the most gorgeous woman in the world wearing the most expensive designer dresses money can buy, but when I walked into this room I saw nothing and no one but you. You're without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on," I declared, pulling her back to me as we resumed dancing, "Every man in this room would chew their own arm off to be me right now, and every woman in this room probably wishes you had stayed home. You're a vision."

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Although, I'm not a real big fan of the way these men are looking at you," I stated. "This dress can really spark a man's imagination."

"Yeah well, I'm sure it would really kick things into overdrive if they knew what was underneath. Bilbo isn't really one for undergarments," she responded laughing, unaware I was close to losing all composure.

I groaned, "Jo please, I'm not a saint."

"Sorry," she apologized, biting her lip as she watched me. "We need to sneak out of here soon so we're back before dinner is served."

This was the first time I was actually thankful for our plan to steal classified information. Anything to get my mind on something productive, albeit stupid, and out of the gutter.

"As soon as the song's over you can leave under the guise of going to the ladies room. I'll follow you a few seconds later and we'll meet outside the server room," I said, my voice all business. "Don't go in that room without me."

She looked up, offended by my insinuation. "I would never do something like that. Besides, you have all the gear in your 007 suit."

I glared at her. We both knew she would completely go lone ranger on me if I didn't have all the tech in my pocket. It was the reason I'd made sure I carried it and not her, but seeing her outfit now I knew it was a moot point. The woman wasn't wearing underwear, where the hell would she stash comm units?

As soon as the song finished I led us off the dance floor. We were bombarded by people who wanted to talk about the raptors or simply just shoot the shit. I sucked at small talk, but I politely answered each question while continuing to make promises I had no intention of keeping. Five minutes later I heard Jo excuse herself and drift away from the group. My eyes drifted to Barry as he tracked her across the room and out the door. I waited a few more minutes before making my own excuses.

Once in the hall I walked in the direction of the men's room, but instead of going in continued walking. I rounded the corner quickly making my way down the hall. Jo was waiting in front of the server room door scanning the hallway. I reached into my pocket, handing her a micro ear comm unit as I placed an identical one in my own ear.

I heard Jo checking her comm's with Lowery in the control room.

"Barry, we still clear?" I asked.

"All clear. No one's left since you two. Simon is on the stage now so you have some time, but make it quick," Barry rushed out.

I looked to Jo, nodding my head. She returned the gesture and then started hiking up the bottom of her dress up. I was close to passing out as I saw her long, toned legs and vividly remembered her comment about not wearing panties. I needed to think of the least sexual thing I could conjure up, so I just kept repeating _'grandma naked, grandma naked, grandma naked'_ in my head. It almost worked too, then I had to go an open my big, fat mouth.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, my eyes glued to the bare expanse of her leg.

Grandma naked, grandma naked.

"I'm getting the access card," she said matter-of-factly, pulling her dress up even higher and revealing a garter belt on her upper thigh. She quickly pulled the access card out letting my dress drop back down. "Where else was I supposed to put it?"

She punctuated her point by slowly turning around in a circle. The last thing I needed was a 360 degree view of that sinful dress. I closed my eyes, taking a few shuttered breaths as I kept repeating my chant, _'grandma naked, grandma naked'_.

"Let's get this over with."

She shrugged indifferently; completely oblivious to what she was doing to me. She swiped the access card, opening the door as we both shuffled in before quickly closing the door behind us. Well, there was no going back now.

I scanned the server room, my eyes widening slightly at the sheer vastness of the space. When I'd pictured the server room I'd imagined a couple of laptops sitting on some overpriced mahogany furniture. This place looked like something out of the movie iRobot. The room held row after row of servers, processors and computers all linked to a centrally located hub in the middle of the room, or at least that's what Lowery had told us.

There was a constant, low pitch hum resonating from, everywhere. I felt a headache building behind my eyes as the noise persisted and I instantly felt bad for Watson. Who could handle this day in and day out? Jo moved forward with confidence, heading down a row of servers before stopping directly in front a cabinet as she opened the door. My eyes drifted over her figure again and I no longer felt bad for Watson.

"Lowery, I'm here," Jo spoke rapidly into her ear comm. I stepped forward, our shoulders brushing as I pulled a micro camera out of my pocket. I pointed it directly at the computer, giving Lowery eyes into the room.

I heard Lowery speaking into Jo's ear comm, and her fingers flew across the keyboard by his direction. I checked in with Barry who assured me other than being traumatized by Skeletor everything was good on that front. I needed to send him a fruit basket or something when this was over.

After a few minutes Jo's hands stilled and her eyes widened as she read the information displayed on the screen.

"Owen look at this," she prompted, showing me the memo on the screen.

"Retrain raptors' instincts to serve human needs," I read. "They can't be serious?"

"There's more. Look at Hoskins latest correspondence. It's dated right after your breakthrough with Blue. He's proposing military applications."

I pressed my lips together as my temper flared reading the memo. There was crazy and then there was what I was reading right now. I don't know what was worse, that they actually thought this was possible or that I never saw it coming.

I felt Jo slip her hand into mine, squeezing it as she smiled sadly. She'd been right all along, but being right sucked sometimes. I gave her a lopsided grin, squeezing her hand back.

"Come on, we need to find out about the Indominus Rex before someone misses us at the party," she said, closing the raptor files.

I wasn't sure what Jo was doing, but files were opening and closing in rapid succession after she briefly scanned them. She navigated the data in the computer with the same self-assurance she did most things, with poise and precision. I had a hard time unlocking my iPhone on most days so I left the heavy lifting to her on this one.

She let out a frustrated sigh as she closed yet another folder before moving on. I recognized some of what I saw flashing up on the screen as genetic testing results. More than a few times I saw mention of the girls and had to keep myself from punching a hole through the computer screen. These people had learned nothing from Jurassic Park.

Jo's hand stilled as she read the lab notes from none other than our very own resident asshole, Dr. Wu. I understood about every tenth word, but it was enough for me to piece together that Wu was documenting the successful incubation of an unauthorized asset. The report stated the basics of the research, as well as the some of the species used to fill the gaps in the DNA. I felt my blood run cold when I read the last part of the research notes,

 _Per InGen's request the exact genetic composition remains undisclosed to Masrani Global Corporation. In addition, higher headquarters remains unaware of the I-Rex project status._

"Holy shit," Jo muttered.

I second that notion. We were royally screwed. If there was a silver lining, if you could call it that, at least Simon wasn't part of the diabolical plan to create the monster that would probably kill us all. As a side note, he was probably going to kill everyone when he finally realized someone was using his money to create something behind his back.

I heard the faint murmur of Jo's ear comm unit as I continued to read the screen. She quickly shoved the keyboard back, slamming the server door closed.

"Jo, what…" I questioned.

"We have one minute before someone walks through that door," she said, desperately looking for another way out.

I heard the bing of the access reader right before the door swung open, the sounds of two men talking overshadowing the constant hum of the servers, and I could tell they were getting close. Jo's eyes swung towards me, wide with dread as I looked for somewhere to hide us.

Unless we could fit in a server rack we were pretty much screwed. I closed my eyes and thought back to Jo pleading with me about breaking into the server room. I should have known the second "it'll be easy" passed her lips we would all end up in jail.

At least we'd be dressed to kill when we got there.

Shit.

* * *

 **LadyBugQueen421: Sorry for taking so long. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)  
**

 **Mystery Guest: Hope the gala for Owen's POV lived up to hype. It was fun to write and I hope it is equally enjoyable to read. Let me know!**

 **thakidisbac: He sure is fun to write, I'm glad he's fun to read. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **kungfuwarrior: Thanks for reading both stories! I am glad you like them both and hope you keep reading :)**

 **jahoney: Absolutely over the moon at your review. I appreciate your constructive feedback and hope you continue to enjoy the story.**

 **LynxOnSmoothies: Good to know, you can never be too careful, right? Thanks for the encouragement and constructive reviews...I strive to get better with every chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one and thanks so much for reading/reviewing!**

 **MsRose91: Well, here it is...what did you think? I hope you liked it. There's still more to come from the gala, but until next time let me know what you thought. Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it.**

 **Mystery Guest #2: To answer your question, normally (these past few weeks notwithstanding) I write the chapter during the week with the aim of having it done prior to Thursday. Then I don't look at it, touch it, nothing until Friday morning when I open it up and edit it with "fresh eyes". It was slightly different with BJW as I had written almost the entire thing prior to posting chapter 1 so with that one I just had to edit the chapter I was posting for that week. I was so excited to post this from Owen's POV I didn't have anything written other than the first chapter so I've been writing a chapter a week at a time. I'm so glad that you like the story. It means a lot that you took the time to review. Thanks!**

 **angelicedg: Yeah, Barry is so fun to write! Poor guy was at the mercy of Skeletor in this one, but something tells me he'll get his revenge :) Thanks again for reading and reviewing.**


	10. All I'm Asking For Is All You've Got

**Ahhh, it's Friday...my second favorite 'F' word!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10 – All I'm Asking For Is All You've Got**

"I'm telling you she's interested. I'm gonna find her tonight and make my move," Watson told his companion as they entered the room. The confidence in his voice was laughable considering Jo had played him like a fiddle this afternoon in the cafeteria.

"Dude, you're freaking delusional. No way Jo would give you the time of day," his friend replied, laughing. "Besides, I'm pretty sure she's with Owen, and you'd have to be suicidal to cross that man."

Their footsteps carried them so close that if they weren't preoccupied with Jo's breast size they'd see us, we were officially out of time. Glancing behind me I noticed a small supply closet at the opposite end of the room. Grabbing Jo by the hand I drug her after me as we ran as quietly as possible towards the closet. Opening the door I thrust her inside, rapidly following before closing the door.

The closet hadn't looked spacious from the outside, but I'd severely underestimate its limitations. It was like one of those funhouses you see at a carnival where the room appears to be huge from the outside, but once you go in it's the size of a shoe box and covered in creepy mirrors. Jo would have a hard time fitting in here by herself. The two of us crammed in here was defying the laws of physics. In order to close the door I'd practically had to glue myself to her, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. One of my legs was pinned between hers as her arms wound around my neck for lack of anywhere else to put them. I wrapped one arm around her waist, bracing the other against the back wall to keep us steady.

I could feel Jo's heart beating a mile a minute, her breathing shallow and erratic. Or maybe it was my own heart beating out of my chest and breathing that was coming a tad too fast, I simply couldn't tell. There wasn't an inch of Jo that wasn't pressed intimately against me. If it weren't for the circumstances this closet would be my new favorite place. Maybe I could convince Simon to let us come here on our days off.

My face brushed against hers, and she whimpered. I felt my dick swell in response, attempting to shift our position to create space where they were none. This closet was the stuff of dreams and nightmares. The feel of her skin, the scent of her hair, and the softness of her curves were making it hard to think.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. I wasn't having a hard time thinking about all the ways I could ravish Jo's body this very moment. The angel on one shoulder kept telling me now was not the time to be thinking about having hot, sweaty sex with Jo in a closet with two men less than 10 feet away. The devil on the other shoulder told the angel to shut the fuck up.

Leaning my head back slightly I ran my eyes over Jo's face, my eyebrows raised slightly. It was just plain stupid to not go ahead and ask. I mean, you never know unless you try.

Jo's brows wrinkled in confusion before the light bulb went off, her expression promptly changing to that of exasperation.

"You cannot be serious," she whispered. "Explain to me exactly how that would work?"

I grinned back at her, "I'm not saying it wouldn't take creativity." I was always good in a pinch. It'd saved my life more than a few times in the Navy. Making the complicated awesomely simple was at the heart of creativity. Jo's common sense was telling her there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell of us doing the deed in here…common sense was the enemy of creativity.

Her eyes flashed with excitement as heat rose on her cheeks. She muttered "kinky" under her breath unconsciously pressing our bodies closer together. It only seems kinky the first time I thought as I grazed my lips along her cheekbone, ending with a light kiss against her ear. She moaned lightly, raking her hands across my back.

A muffled communication sounded in her opposite ear and she immediately stiffened in my embrace, attempting to pull away. I held tight as she emphatically pointed at her ear comm unit. I fought the urge to laugh. Did she honestly think I'd forgotten Barry and Lowery could hear everything that went on in here? Not likely. I hadn't forgotten for one second we had an audience, but at this stage in my life if it didn't make me happy I simply didn't have time for it. I shrugged my shoulders unapologetically. She rolled her eyes, but I saw her fighting against a smile. Yeah, she loved this closet as much as I did.

"I'll check the desk, can you take a look around and see if you find it," Watson called out.

Jo's head fell on my shoulder in relief. I didn't want to consider how long we'd be stuck in here if she hadn't had the foresight to drop the access card on the desk when we'd walked in. A few minutes later Watson's triumphant yell rang out. The voices trailed off as the distinct sound of the door opening then closing again reverberated through the room.

Neither of us moved immediately, afraid they might come back unexpectedly. At least that was the excuse running through my head. In reality, I just didn't want the woman pressed against me to move. Sue me.

Lowery's hushed communication to Jo broke the connection as her eyes darted away from mine. She slowly opened the door before sliding out. Once alone I rubbed my hands over my face and adjusted my pants. Lord help me this was gonna be a long night. When I finally had myself under control we exited the server room, walking down the hall towards the gala.

"Owen, we may have a problem. Three investors just snuck out a side exit, could be headed towards you," Barry said through my ear comm. I tightened my hold on Jo's arm, stopping our retreat down the hall as she looked at me questioningly.

"Three investors just exited the banquet hall headed this general direction," I filled her in on Barry's relay.

"Lowery?" she asked, touching the side of her ear.

We both stood frozen in the hall waiting on Lowery to track down the guests. I felt Jo sigh in relief next to me, and felt myself relax. Maybe we'd make it out of this thing unscathed after all. I took Jo's hand, leading her down the hall when she abruptly pulled back, stopping me. When I turned back the slightly wild look in her eyes told me the missing guests had decided to take a detour.

I'd asked Jo once how she'd avoided trouble all these years given the sheer outlandishness of her ideas, and she told me it was because when she got caught she either pretended she was deaf or didn't speak English. Unfortunately, I didn't think either of those excuses would work tonight.

Deep laughter flooded the air from just around the corner. I could tell by the slightly slurred bits of conversation we could hear that these guys were wasted. The way I saw it we had two options, we could just stand here and hope their beer goggles were so fogged they didn't notice us or we could use our pent up sexual frustration to our advantage.

"Don't hit me OK?" I told her.

Before she could respond I drug her back a few feet to a small alcove hidden at the end of the hall next to the server door. I pushed her up against the wall, pinning her with my body.

"What…"

Her question was cut off as I pressed my entire body flat against hers. Snaking an arm around her waist I settled the other at the base of her neck, pulling her towards me as my lips found hers. I expected a swift kick to the nuts for my effort, but what I got was the exact opposite. Jo grabbed the lapels of my jacket pulling me towards her as she opened her mouth to me. I swept my tongue along her lower lip tentatively, but when her tongue brushed against mine I went wild. Deepening the kiss I teased her tongue with my own as our hands raked across each others bodies in desperation. My hand drifted down, skimming the curve of her shoulder blade, then to her back, before cupping the firmness of her ass. She lifted her leg slightly, wrapping it around my leg as she nipped at my lower lip. I felt a growl rumble in my chest as a fierce possessiveness took root.

As cliché as it sounded I knew this kiss was going to change everything. It was the start of something, something unlike anything I'd ever experienced. Her smell, the feel of her body, the sounds she made while I kissed her had my head spinning. I knew in that moment Jo was the person I'd been waiting for, my other half. I'm not saying she was perfect, far from it, but she was worth it. She was someone I wanted to lose myself in. She made me want to be a better man.

Someone obnoxiously cleared their throat from behind us. I reluctantly broke the kiss, resting my forehead against hers as I attempted to steady my breathing. Jo swallowed nervously, pulling her hands away from neck, tenderly running them down my chest. I caressed the side of her face, equal parts apology and promise before I placed a gently kiss on her lips. I turned to face the group of drunken investors who were all wearing equally annoying shit-eating grins. I kept myself firmly planted in front of Jo to give her time to compose herself, and fix that slip of fabric she was passing off as an evening gown.

"Forgive us son, we were looking for the balcony, but seem to have gotten lost," an older man commented, his smile slightly lopsided. He was either toasted or suffering the after effects of a seizure. Considering he was holding a half empty bottle of whiskey my money was on wasted. I knew there was an open bar, but I was pretty sure that wasn't what Simon had in mind.

"No problem sir, it's just back this way," I gestured in the opposite direction, grabbing Jo's hand from behind me as I led the group down the hallway.

"Oh to be young and in love," another man sing-songed, horribly off tune. "I'm surprised the two of you waited this long with the way you looked on the dance floor."

The comment almost took Jo out as she stumbled in her high heels. My hand shot out, steadying her as I laughed.

"Yes sir, she keeps me on my toes. The balcony is just at the other end of the hall," I pointed out.

The trio continued laughing, slapping me on the back as they passed by. One even offered me a shot of whiskey, but I politely declined. As they last man walked by I covered my mouth at the unmistakable fake smile on Jo's face. She was aiming for friendly, but it looked like she'd swallowed a mouth full of nails.

The love comment was really throwing her for a loop. I wasn't a fool. I knew Jo had some serious issues when it came to relationships and commitment. While I would have loved to set her mind at ease, maybe even reassure her that we would work everything out at a pace she was comfortable with, now was not the time. Our presence at the gala, if not already missed, would be shortly. Couples counseling would have to wait.

I led her back into the banquet hall where the party hit me like a right hook. The sound of laughter, music, and rambunctious chatter was almost enough to make my ears explode. Clearly the guys with the stolen whiskey bottle weren't the only one's three sheets to the wind. Simon was one conniving billionaire. Nothing loosened a man's wallet like women and booze.

I could tell Jo's mind was still somewhere back in that alcove. She stood beside me stiff and bewildered. Since I didn't have any candy on me at the moment I'd have to rely on alcohol to calm her frayed nerves.

"I'm going to grab us some drinks at the bar. I'll meet you at the table," I whispered into her ear. She nodded mutely, still staring around the room like she couldn't remember why she was here. I squeezed her hand once more before walking towards the closest bar just as Simon took the stage. The dinner announcement sent up an unnecessary cheer as everyone started filling towards the dining room.

The bar was mercifully empty as I asked the bartender for a beer and a glass of wine. The guy peppered me with inane questions. What kind of wine? Sweet or dry? Red or white? Domestic or imported beer? Glass or bottle? For the love of all things sacred, I'd faced fewer questions during the SATs.

"Listen, I don't give a shit as long as it's got alcohol in it," I snapped. The guys face fell as he hurried to pour Jo's wine and uncap a bottle of the first beer he could get his hands on. "Sorry, it's been a long night."

Lame excuse, but not untrue. I grabbed our drinks and stuffed an extra tip in the jar to make up for being an asshole. I kept to the wall as I made my way to our table in the back of the room hoping to avoid any conversation. Two tables away from the promise land I felt a pinch on my ass. Whirling around, my chest seized up as Skeletor flashed me a toothy grin. Did this woman have a tracking device on me? Was there some kind of repellent I could spray around to ensure she couldn't get within striking distance?

She attempted to wiggle her eyebrows at me, but Botox immobilized her face so she only managed a pathetic twitch. I had to swallow down the puke that bubbled up in my throat as I backed away.

Reaching the sanctuary of our table I felt myself relax. I was sitting on the opposite side of the table from the she-devil. She'd have to get through Barry and Hamada before she could sink her claws in. If she made a move it would end in a fight, but I felt confident in my ability to sneak away during the chaos. Discretion was the better a part of valor, and I was man enough to admit Skeletor made me want to curl up in a ball and find my happy place.

I sat down next to Jo as she tried to casually sip from her wine glass. I could tell she wanted to hook an IV up so she could mainstream the alcohol directly into her bloodstream. She was holding onto her composure like a climber looking for the handhold they needed in order to save their life. I felt her pain. I was hyper-aware of her proximity. My thoughts muddled and sluggish. I shook my head in an effort to clear it. It didn't work.

The conversation around the table jumped from topic to topic in a casual, relaxed atmosphere; at least for 8 of the 10 people at the table. Jo looked about as comfortable as an alcoholic asked to judge a beer contest. Barry tried to involve her at one point, but when she simply looked at him with wide, confused eyes before downing her glass of wine like a shot he gave up. She was restless in her seat, shifting every few seconds only to find no relief.

I wasn't fairing any better, but was at least able to sling together multiple words in a row to form sentences. How much sense I was making was up for debate. I'm pretty sure only Lowery was buying my act because Barry couldn't stop laughing when he looked at us, and Hamada just kept shaking his head.

When I saw her close her eyes, taking deep breaths in and holding them for a few seconds before blowing them out in a control manner I knew she was on the struggle bus. I dipped my hand under the table with the intent of grabbing her hand in a show of support. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I missed Jo's hand by a mile, and instead ended up grazing her upper thigh like a lovers caress. I was aiming for a soothing, some would even say cathartic touch, but what I did was the equivalent of pouring lighter fluid on a raging inferno.

Startled by my touch she jumped about three feet in the air, her chair pitching backwards precariously. It was a minor miracle she didn't tumble backwards ass over teakettle.

"Mother fucker," was her strangled response, her hand flying to her chest in shock.

All conversation at the table ceased as every set of eyes was pinned on Jo. She mumbled an half-hearted apology rambling on about how she thought she saw Eric Estrada on the other side of the room. Every head at the table swiveled around in search of the former TV cop. As Jo led the rest of the table on a wild goose hunt for the has-been star I continued searching around for her hand, and fought the urge to roll my eyes at my lack of swagger. I'd hunted terrorist with better results than I was having at the moment.

Smooth Owen, real smooth.

After what seemed like a year I finally found her hand, offering a squeeze as an apology. Her eyes searched mine, and I grinned at her. She glared at me momentarily before relaxing a little, squeezing my hand in return, turning her attention back to the table. We kept our hands locked throughout the rest of dinner. Eating an entire meal with only one hand wasn't for the faint of heart, but I simply couldn't let her go. She was my anchor. A beacon keeping me grounded.

While touching her helped in one way, it absolutely made things worse in others. The effort I was exerting to appear calm, controlled, and relaxed on the outside was only matched by the effort to not pull her into my arms and crush my lips to hers. My shoulders were so stiff I could feel knots forming at the base of my spine, and if I kept grinding my teeth I was going to need emergency dental work. I couldn't remember a time when I was so desperate to get a woman alone, and that's saying something because I was once a 16 year-old hormonal teenager.

What felt like hours later the formal portion of the evening was blessedly over. The second the waiter set the coffee cup in front of Jo she shot out of her seat like a missile. Abruptly everyone's eyes turned to her in question as she stood behind her seat fidgeting with the fabric covering.

"Well, I'm beat. Gonna call it a night. See you guys later," she almost yelled, inserting a fake yawn that only caused to further illustrate her lie (and poor acting). She was so stressed I could see slight vibrations coming off her.

I tersely stood up, "I'll give you a ride home. I'm not feeling too well." There wasn't a soul in the room who believed either of us right now. The sexual tension between was palpable. It was like a living being taking up space at our table. Taking Jo's hand I drug her behind me towards the door.

"Jesus, I hope those two just get it over with," Hamada grumbled to Barry, leaning towards his chair. I shot them both the finger as we made our escape, Barry's voracious laughter following us into the hall. You'd think I'd get more support from two guys whose significant other lived in different countries. So much for Bros Before Hos.

I practically tossed Jo into the passenger side of my Jeep before climbing in. I'm not aware of any actual speed limits on the island, there's just the common knowledge that our "roads" are shit so it would behoove you to keep your speed under control. My entire approach to life at the moment could be summed up in seven words - two tears in a bucket, fuck it.

It didn't take long before the silhouette of Jo's campers, bathed in porch lights, came into view. Rounding the bend that led to both our houses I kept my foot firmly planted on the accelerator as her house flew by in a blur.

"Owen?" She pointed at her camper as we flew by.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, shaking my head no. There were a multitude of ways that tonight would play out, but dropping Jo off at her house with a quick peck on the cheek wasn't one of them.

Slamming the Jeep into park outside my bungalow I jumped out, walking around to passenger side door. Flinging it open I gently pulled Jo out. She kept quiet, which I found odd, as we made our way inside. She could tell I was hanging by a thread, and I appreciated her not busting my balls.

Once we were inside my tuxedo felt like it was strangling me. I shrugged off my jacket and pulled off my tie, throwing them both onto the back of the chair. Only after unbuttoning the first two buttons of my shirt did I feel like I could breathe properly.

"Owen?" she asked quietly.

I held my hand up, "Just give me a second."

I didn't think a second was going to help things, but I needed to get my thoughts together before I started. I needed to be delicate with this. It would require a level of finesse I was unsure I could produce. I didn't want to scare Jo, and if history was any indication, when confronted with the possibility of commitment her fight or flight instincts were reduced to just flight. I knew it would take Jo a lot longer to recognize and reconcile her feelings for me. I didn't have any issues with that, in fact, I'd take whatever she was willing to give me.

I could feel her patience waning so I turned around. She was standing in the middle of the room, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she bit her lip to keep from talking. The moonlight streaming in from the windows made her dress look ethereal. She reminded me of a nymph or maybe some kind of mythical goddess. Whatever it was, her presence in the midst of my modest camper all of a sudden seemed ridiculous. Like finding a literal diamond in the rough. I couldn't stand the minuscule distance between any longer us so I stepped towards her.

"God you're beautiful." My voice sounded raspy, foreign to my own ears. What was happening? This was not me. I was cool, confident, suave with woman. Somehow with Jo all of that was gone.

She blushed at my statement, her eyes darting down briefly. She closed the remaining distance between us, and that was all the encouragement I needed. I kissed her, like I'd been wanting to for hours. It felt like a balm to my soul. She deepened the kiss, her tongue tangling with mine with such precision I forgot my own name. I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my bedroom and make her mine, but there were some things we needed to clear up first.

Reluctantly I pulled away. I kept my eyes glued to the floor so I wouldn't see the disappointment or questions reflected in her brown orbs. I steeled myself for what I thought would be a fight.

"Jo, I want this. I want you," I told her in a pained voice. "But it can't just be one time. I…I can't have you then let you go."

Jesus, now I was stuttering.

She stepped back immediately, putting distance between us. "What are you saying?"

It was go big or go home time. I didn't care if I had to spell it out with crayons; we were going to come to terms with what was happening between us. I had no idea where this could go, but I knew for certain a one-night stand was unacceptable.

"I'm saying I want you. All your flaws, mistakes, smiles, jokes, sarcasm, everything. I want it all."

So much for easing her into the idea.

Her face went through several emotions in just a few seconds. Shock, disbelief, wariness, until finally settling on happiness, a beaming smile reflected back at me. I knew the courage she would have to dig up to believe my words. Jo had lived a hard life, one most people wouldn't have survived, much less thrived in. Depending on another person was as foreign to her as a well-balanced diet, it simply didn't exist in her world.

While I was glad she looked amenable to my suggestion she still hadn't moved an inch. Terrified to spook her I stayed firmly planted on my side of the room, waiting for her to make the first move. Just when I thought we might just stand here and look at each other all night she rushed forward, throwing her arms around my neck. I caught her mid-jump, as she kissed me with a fiery passion I'd come to associate with her. Lifting her up I carried her bridal style into my bedroom, our lips never leaving each other. Laying her down gently on my bed I hovered over her, my eyes taking in every detail. The way her hair spilled out behind her. The faint blush on her face that I knew I'd put there. Her lips, god her lips, swollen and red from my kiss. She was panting, breathless and unable to keep her hands off me as they ran up and down my chest. She was a vision. She was perfect.

"Are you sure? There's no going back after this." I searched her eyes, looking for any hesitation or doubt, but saw only desire.

"I'm sure," she answered, her voice needy.

She pulled me down, and I sunk into her, my weight pressing her into the mattress. A goofy grin broke out of my face right before I kissed her, trying to convey my feelings through touch alone. I poured everything I had into the kiss as my hands explored her body beneath me. I wanted to be everywhere at once, and had to tell myself to calm down, take it slow, we had all night.

I left a trail of kisses down her neck as she tilted her head back allowing me better access. My hands ran down her side, kneading her breasts as her gasps of pleasure spurred me on. She pulled me to her, and I settled my weight on her relishing the feel of her body. Her hands fisted into my hair as she devastated me with her kiss.

Needing to remove the final barrier separating us I slipped the straps of her dress off her shoulders, pausing briefly to ask permission. She said nothing, simply moved and shifted her body allowing me to wiggle the luscious fabric down her body. She wasn't lying when she's told me she wasn't wearing anything underneath. My mouth went dry at the sight of her naked in my bed. Desperate to feel her skin on mine I pulled my shirt apart, not even bothering with the buttons. Waste of time.

Jo sighed, "It's about time."

If I needed an ego boost, I got one. Having a gorgeous, naked woman, drooling at the sight of my bare chest was enough to fuel my dreams for months. I quickly dispensed of my pants, tossing them to the other side of the room as Jo mumbled something about going commando under her breath. I laughed softly before kissing her again, my hands tracing unknown patterns on her skin.

She met my pace, setting one of her own as she took me to heights of pleasure I never knew existed. It was like our bodies were meant for each as we took our time exploring each others every desire while savoring the ecstasy that resulted.

Much later, she lay curled in front of me, naked and sated, her soft snores echoing through the otherwise quiet bungalow. I smiled into her back, placing a gentle kiss on her shoulder as I hugged her tighter. I'd lost myself in her tonight. What's more, I'd lost my heart, I was sure of it. It wasn't the first time I'd been in love, but this felt different. Being with Jo made it feel like all the times before were just playing at love, or more accurately lust. Almost like a dress rehearsal for the real thing. It just didn't hold a candle to what I felt now.

As I held her in my arms, a feeling of contentment unlike any I'd ever experienced washed through me. I knew the difference between Jo and everyone else, and it was more than just knowing in my heart I'd love her all the days of my life. Every relationship before had been a constant battle. The struggle to change the other person. To shape them, mold them, into the idea I had in my head. All the while resisting their efforts to do the same to me. The constant search for the flawless partner, the amazing romance, the perfect sex. A partner created in my own image. This effort was useless. Like a child attempting to jam a square peg into a round hole.

Holding my life in my arms I understood love was none of those things. It was about finding someone you simply couldn't walk away from. It wasn't changing them into your idea of perfect. It was accepting them for who they were. Loving them even more for their perceived flaws.

No matter how hard Jo tried to keep herself hidden from the world, protected from those around her, I could see her. I knew how messy she could be, how moody she was first thing in the morning, how hard she was to handle at times, but none of that changed anything. She had opened my eyes to possibility.

I knew this would be a difficult adjustment for her. By her own admissions she'd never had a real long-term relationship. Commitment, dependability, caring, were not concepts she was familiar with. Hell, I wasn't the love guru either, but we could teach each other. Words were fickle. Actions were what would tip the scales in our favor. I was prepared to show Jo that I loved her more than my own life. That no matter what happened I would be there for her. She may not be ready to hear it. She probably wasn't ready to accept it, but I had faith in her love for me. I didn't need Jo to tell me she loved me, her actions screamed them at me. We would take this slow. My heart would accept anything she was willing to offer.

For me, itt wasn't complicated. I loved her, plain and simple.

In return, all I was asking for was all she's got.

* * *

 **angelicedg: You are correct, he is perfectly A-OK with what happens next :) Hope you are too! Thanks for reading and reviewing, it means a lot.**

 **BlueEyedPisces: Skeletor made another brief, albeit memorable appearance again, hope you enjoyed. Barry's revenge will be swift and severe...LOL. It cracks me up that you know someone who resembles Skeletor, classic! The ringtone thing I simply couldn't pass up. I was sick for about a week and half and invaded my husband and families phone's planting what I believed to be hilarious ringtones. I shouldn't be left unsupervised for long periods of time, sick or not. Some agreed my choices were funny, others (my husband)...not so much :) He's a stick in the mud though. Hope you liked this one!**

 **LadyBugQueen421: I love that reaction! I've had the very same one with other people's stories so to hear someone have it about mine is fantastic! You made my Friday. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.**

 **LynxOnSmoothies: I hadn't thought about them wearing the same dress. That would have been hilarious, horrendous, just amazing! Could you imagine her wearing almost nothing...just the thought is cracking me up right now. Thanks for the amazing review. I'm glad that what I'm writing paints a clear picture and engages the reader. I'm trying so to hear it working out makes me jump for joy. Well, maybe an emphatic fist pump because I'm too lazy for jumping. Thanks!**

 **KaraAlissa: Welcome and thanks for reading/reviewing! I hope you enjoyed the latest installment.**

 **MsRose91: You know, when I first thought about doing Owen's POV I wasn't sure it would work. I wasn't sure if I could pull off writing another characters POV, especially an established character, but I have absolutely loved it. I think seeing things from his POV helps to not only explain Jo's perspective, but it's really helping me as a writer. Jo is somewhat easier to write b/c she's kinda crazy, sarcastic and avoids feeling emotions if at all possible. Owen is her polar opposite (at least as I've written him) and it is kinda great to write someone who feels so deep, is so introspective and analytical while still being light hearted. At least, that is my attempt and hope. Thanks for reading, I'm so glad you enjoy it.**

 **jahoney: You are so very right. I feel like I keep setting the bar higher and higher. You guys push me to dig a little deeper, flush out scenes more, basically not take the easy way out. I love it, but it terrifies me. I'm always worried I'll come up a little short. Your review, as always, is very helpful and keeps me working towards being better every time. I hope this keeps with the theme of the story and continues to explore the relationship developing between the characters while following the established story. Hope you enjoyed!**


	11. The Ties that Bind

**Chapter 11 – The Ties that Bind**

It felt like I'd only been asleep minutes when Jo stirred next to me. What started out as agitation manifesting with her body shifting repeatedly as she pulled the bed sheets up then down again, quickly morphed into moaning and flailing limbs. Shaking the sleep from my head I sat up, peering down at Jo. Her face was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. She mumbled incoherent words in her sleep with such sadness it tugged at my heart.

"No!" she cried out suddenly, her hand reaching out blindly. Her breathing was coming faster, almost erratic, her mind firmly in the grips of a nightmare.

This wasn't an average nightmare; of that much I was positive. I spent years in the Navy, and the scars it left behind weren't just physical. The agony of combat lingers long after a Soldier leaves the battlefield. Once you've seen the front lines, watched your friends die, witnessed the atrocities we can inflict on each other it changes you. Civilians assume those of us that make it home are the lucky ones. They don't understand the Soldiers who die on in combat aren't the only ones who never come home. Everyone who serves leaves a piece of themselves on the blood stained battlefield, far from home. For those of us who fought for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.

I'd struggled with what I'd witnessed, with what I had done with my own two hands, for years after leaving the service. I'd plunged myself into a self-appointed prison. Punishing myself with memories of my failures. Failures, which I believed, had caused the demise of my brothers-in-arms. The isolation was my cross to bear. My sentence to serve. I learned that sometimes you have to travel through darkness in order to find the light.

It was my family that helped guide me out of the sea of guilt and regret that had overwhelmed me. It wasn't easy, and I knew on more than one occasion they wanted to give up, but they didn't. I found a way back to them. I was able to find my place in the world again. It was a difficult time in my life, but I learned lessons that have stuck with me. No one will ever punish you harder than you do yourself. We are by nature our own worst critics. Hampered by our perception. An old military adage says, perception was reality. That was never truer for me then when I left the service. I found myself adrift in the civilian world. Unable to clearly see the past, and thus, incapable of moving towards any future.

With hard work and more than a few bruises inflicted by my brother I was able to see the error in my thinking. I was waiting for something or more accurately someone to help me climb out of a pit of despair so deep I could hardly see the light. The reality was no one was waiting in the wings to save me. The truth of the matter was no one would ever save you. True survivors must realize you have to save yourself. It doesn't matter how you go about it as long as you try. Life is about how much you can take, and keep fighting. How much you can suffer, and keep moving forward. That's how you win.

Jo continued to thrash beside me, and I made the decision wake her up. I remember hearing you shouldn't wake a person from a nightmare, but my heart couldn't take it anymore. Gently shaking her shoulder I called her name, hoping it would do the trick. Roughly she pulled away, her hand striking out, connecting with my shoulder. She burrowed further into her pillow, her cries coming louder and faster now. Grabbing her shoulders I rolled her onto her back, leaning over her slightly.

"Jo, come on baby, wake up." Her eyes remained squeezed shut, painful moaning filling the room. "Jo, it's Owen. I need you to wake up now," I called out, my voice louder this time.

Her eyes sprung open, and I momentarily sagged with relief. However, I saw no recognition in her glassy, unfocused gaze. She was still far away, her eyes unseeing. I knew firsthand how disorienting it was to see the horrors of your past when you closed your eyes. It was even worse when they followed you into your waking hours.

Before I could calm her frayed nerves she lashed out, delivering a debilitating jab to my solar plexus. Caught completely off guard I could do nothing more than groan in pain, falling limply beside her.

Wasting no time she flipped over, straddling me. Recovering, I called out her name again in an effort to break through, but considering she was currently rearing back ready to break my nose I didn't think it was working. My mother always told me, "cooler heads will always prevail", but I bet she never had a pissed off, ex-Army veteran pummeling her ass either. I was going to go with my father on this one, "drastic times call for drastic measures".

Jo let her right hook loose, aiming right for my nose. Smart. Disable your attacker with a broken nose. It's pretty hard to put up a fight when you couldn't see. While it was a textbook assault her current state made her movements sluggish. I could have seen the punch coming with my eyes closed. Catching her by the wrist I wrenched her arm sideways, using my body weight and strength to my advantage. I rolled her sideways, careful to not hurt her, as I pinned her arms above her head. Her legs immediately locked around my waist like a vice as she struggled beneath me.

"Come on Jo, snap out of it!" I yelled. I could tell the moment my voice broke through the barrier. She froze, eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to focus.

"Owen?"

She sounded like a little girl, her voice shaky and unsure. My shoulders relaxed, slumping in relief as her legs released their crushing hold on me. I exhaled harshly through my nose, rolling off her in order to give her space. I watched her from my peripheral. The minute she'd recognized me, or more importantly the situation, her expression turned to horrified. She was up and out of the bed searching for clothes before I could say anything. Hastily she grabbed some of my clothes, a T-shirt and shorts that swamped her they were so big, throwing them on as her eyes darted around the room. I was willing to give her some time to herself. Perhaps in the bathroom or living room, but the crazed look I'd seen in her eyes made my stomach plummet. Running was what Jo did best. The chances of me letting her leave this camper ranged somewhere between slim and none.

"Where are you going?" I called out to her retreating form, already up and searching for the first clothes I could find.

"Home."

Oh, fuck that.

Jo was quick, but so was I when properly motivated. I met her at the door to the bungalow, planting myself like a tree in front of the door.

"Hey, don't' do this. Talk to me." I was begging. I can admit that. I can also admit I didn't give a rats ass. If she walked out the door right now it would be the end. There would be no coming back from it.

"Get out of my way Owen," she hissed, ice in her voice. She sounded menacing. Too bad for her I was an expert at menacing.

Pressing my lips into a thin line I steeled myself for a fight. If that was what she wanted it was just what she'd get. Fighting was like second nature to Jo. She used it as a defense mechanism to push others away before they could leave her. I hoped she was ready for the fight of her life because she wasn't walking away from me. I cared too much about her to leave her to her own devices.

"No, not until you tell me what's going on." In truth, I didn't need much elaboration from her, except to fill in the minute details. Essentially, I knew what was happening, but it solved nothing if she couldn't confront her demons head on.

"You're a pretty smart guy. I'm sure you can figure it out."

And, cue the sarcasm.

If I were a psychologist I would say her behavior was as a textbook case of someone using anger, sarcasm, or insults to distract from the real issues. I'm smart like that.

"And so are you, I'm sure you know that's not what I meant. Talk to me."

"I'm sorry Dr. Phil I don't feel like sharing right now."

I narrowed my eyes at her. I had to keep myself in check here. She wanted me to rise to the bait. To lash out. To hurt her. That way she would be justified in her delusional reasoning for cutting me out of her life. She attempted to squeeze past me to the door, but I used my arm to block her path. She yelled in frustration, pulling at her hair as she turned away from me, stomping off.

"Move! Just let me go!" she screamed.

She spun around to face me, tears streaming down her face, a wild look in her eyes. Agitation and frustration rolled off of her. Seeing her like this made my heart break. I reached for her, needing to do something to comfort her, but she recoiled, stepping further away from me. Dropping my hand to my side I shook my head at her.

"I'm not letting you leave after what happened. If you don't want to talk about it fine, but you're not leaving," I stated simply, crossing my arms over my chest to let her know I would wait her out.

"You really think you can stop me?" she taunted.

"Don't do that. Don't try to deflect this with violence or sarcasm."

Her eyes flashed with rage. "Get out of my fucking way! I swear to god if you don't move I will make you move!"

Licking my lips I tilted my head to side, watching her. She was pacing back and forth across the tiny living room, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. She was mumbling under her breath. From what I could hear she thought I should go have sex with myself or something equally as colorful. While tempting I was gonna have to pass.

"I don't think you will," I replied evenly.

"What? You think we sleep together once and now we have some kind of bond. Well, I hate to break it to you Owen, but it was just sex." For someone so skilled at deception she was a horrible liar, at least when it came to me. She had a better chance of getting me to believe Hoskins had quit his job to start an outreach program for children than believing she had no feelings for me.

"That's pathetic Jo, really. Don't give me that bullshit."

"Is that a problem? Can't take the hit to your ego?" she sneered. I was surprised she wasn't foaming at the mouth she was so worked up. Despite the insincerity of her words I felt my hackles rise ever so slightly.

"Oh, I'll be fine. Thanks for the concern though. You're still not leaving."

She cursed me again, then went right back to pacing. She reminded me of one of the dinosaurs brought into the veterinary pins for examination. The caged animals seem to have a sixth sense something "bad" was about to happen. They would snarl, pace, growl, and attack anything that moved right up until they were tranquilized. Reduced to a drooling, unconscious heap. Too bad I didn't have any tranqs on hand. I either needed to calm Jo down or knock her out because otherwise she was liable to hurt someone, mainly me.

"Jo," I called out softly, "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Please."

She barked out a harsh laugh, shaking her head. Obviously, she didn't believe me. All the doubt and fear she kept bottled up inside was overwhelming her. She could no more see the truth in my words than she could save herself from this pain. I saw the moment her resolve strengthened, her back straightened. Back was the Jo I'd met all those months ago. The one who believed herself incapable of love. Who believed with certainty that no one could ever love her. Just like that, in less than a second, all our progress was washed away like the roads on the island in the midst of a hurricane.

She rounded on me, pointing her finger in accusation, "Why do you care?!" She stepped forward, invading my personal space. Our faces were mere inches apart.

Her backwards emotional behavior made something inside of me snap. This wasn't working. Being patient, gentle, it wasn't getting through her thick skull. Time for Plan B.

"Because I love you!" I fired back.

Instantly she stepped back, bewildered. Whatever she'd been expecting me to say it wasn't that.

"What?" She seemed leery of my confession. No doubt wondering if it was true or simply spoken out of frustration. Whatever she thought of it she didn't trust it.

Exasperated I ran my hands through my hair, hissing out a breath between my teeth. "I love you dammit. Not exactly how I pictured having this conversation, but we've never been normal. I love you Jo. Since the moment I stepped off that elevator you've turned my world upside down, and I love you for it."

She shook her head back and forth at me. I thought her face looked horrified before, but it was nothing compared to now. She looked like she might attempt to run straight through the wall to get away from me.

"You don't know what you're saying," she told me defiantly.

Typical. Just like a woman to tell you what you can and can't feel. If men were from Mars and women were from Venus then Jo was from another galaxy altogether.

"I know this is hard for you to believe, but you don't get to tell me how I feel," I glared at her.

"You can't love me because you don't even know me."

I'm sorry, if that wasn't the pot calling the kettle black I didn't know what was.

"And whose fault is that?" No way was she going to take me to task for something I had no control over. I'd done everything, but spell it out with magnetic alphabet letters. She scoffed in outrage, clearly not happy about being called on her bullshit.

"It doesn't matter," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Oh I think it does," I bit out, taking a step towards her so she couldn't avoid looking at me. "You are so scared of being discarded you refuse to let anyone get close. You torture yourself with events in your past in the hopes of making amends."

"You don't know shit," she shot back.

"Why don't you enlighten me then."

I meant it as a challenge and she took it as one. The evil smirk plastered across her face told me I needed to brace for impact. Whatever she was about to unleash would be unlike anything I'd ever experienced. When she tipped her head back, hysterical laughter spilling out, I was slightly concerned for her sanity. I had no time to get off the crazy train before she launched into a diatribe meant solely to warn me off.

"You want to talk Owen? OK, let's talk. Hmm, let's see…where should we start? How about birth, is that early enough for you? I was abandoned by on the steps of a firehouse a few hours after I was born. My mother or father couldn't even be bothered to keep me for longer than a few hours. No big deal really…happens all the time.

"Since I had no parents I was taken in by child protective services, and lived most of my childhood at the orphanage. I got to watch all the other kids get adopted day after day while I was passed over. It's probably what dogs at the pound feel like when potential owners come to look at them, but decide pet ownership just isn't for them. That's not really the best part though; sometimes I had foster parents take me in for short periods of time. They only did it for the money so it was a bit lacking in the love department, but they more than made up for it in abuse when the mood struck them. At least there was food most of the time, and it helped me develop a really interesting skill set. Hiding, stealing, fighting, all useful skills for a child. The real key is learning how to be invisible, it helps cut down on the beatings, and I was exceptionally good at that."

She was looking at me, but she wasn't seeing me. It was as if she was looking straight through me, her eyes wide and dilated. I didn't think she was even aware I was in the room. In all the months I'd known her I'd never heard her talk so much at once. Jo was a woman whose mission statement in life was to 'keep it simple stupid'. She hated unnecessary words. Why talk for hours when a simple sentence would suffice? Why beat around the bush when you could just tell it like it was? Right now, in the tiny space of my living room, she was checked out, her body standing not two feet from me, but her mind a million miles away. She continued on, and my gut clenched in anguish at what I was hearing.

"Sometimes though it's better to just runaway. No matter how good you are at hiding the really determined ones always find you. The street isn't all bad, but when you're 6 years-old it can be a bit overwhelming. If you want to survive you have to find a gang willing to take you in. Without people to watch your back you're as good as dead. Thankfully, I've always been resourceful and that comes in real handy when you're living on the street. You may not always have food or shelter, but you had freedom. I got good at finding what my gang wanted or needed. I learned how to lie, cheat and steal in any situation. That's how I was able to lift the access card to the server room so easily, because I've done it my whole life. I've done anything and everything you can imagine to survive. I've made every mistake you could possible make and then some. Sure, you lose a little of your humanity, not to mention your childhood, but it beats being dead.

"But hey, you already know me, right? We can move past all that pitiful childhood stuff. Why don't we talk about the Army? That's what my dream was about by the way. Specifically, a mission I planned and executed that resulted in the loss of five lives. To really add insult to injury most of them were kids…the oldest was only 20. I held one of their hands as he died an excruciatingly painful death because there was a gaping hole in his stomach from shrapnel almost ripping him in half. I lied and told him he would be fine, and watched him die in that desert thousands of miles from home. They weren't the only one's either, I can't tell you how many people died because of my failures over there. Guess you can imagine why I chose to get out, kind of selfish to stay in if all you're doing is harming your own."

I didn't move. I scarcely took a breath, afraid I would break the spell she was under. There was a part of me that felt guilty witnessing her breakdown. She'd clearly forgotten I was here, and under normal circumstances would chew off her own arm before disclosing the skeletons in her closet. The right thing to do would be to stop her now, but the opportunity to gain some insight into a woman who kept her cards close to the vest held me rooted in place. Hamada had told me once what Jo revealed regarding her past was at her sole discretion. Whether consciously or unconsciously she was letting me in. I had a sneaking suspicion she was trying to scare me off. Clearly, she underestimated my feelings for her.

"Hey, everyone has down times now and again. No big deal. The F.B.I. was a WAY better. I was taught to use my "special skill set" to study and track down homicidal, sociopathic, serial killers. If that doesn't sound like fun I don't know what does! The best part was having to stand in front of their families when I was too late to save their loved ones. Since I grew up lying for a living it was easy to feed them the bullshit line that they didn't suffer or their death was quick, even though it never was, ever. They all died in the most horrific ways you can imagine. I thought I had seen the worst that humanity could do to each other in war, but boy was I wrong.

"The best parts though were the hostage scenarios. You wouldn't think they happen that often, but you'd be wrong. I was called in to negotiate tons of them in the limited time I was there. Par for the course, the last one I was at resulted in the loss of an entire family. Three of them were kids, the youngest of whom was 3 years-old. They were killed by their father, five feet in front of me, while I was helpless to stop it."

As quickly as she had started she stopped. Exhaustion pulled at every feature as she fell back against the wall, sinking down to the floor. Pulling her legs in she wrapped her arms around her knees hugging them tight, gut-wrenching sobs wracking her body. Huddled against the wall she seemed so small, so broken.

I always knew she was strong, but after getting a glimpse behind the curtain tonight I knew I'd drastically underestimated her. She wasn't just strong; she was nothing short of extraordinary. She was fighting battles none of us knew anything about, the likes of which we could never hope to understand. The need to shower her with support, comfort, anything, overcame me.

Slowly I made my way across the room, sitting down beside her. She continued to cry uncontrollably. Gently I reached out, wrapping my arm around her shoulder, pulling her towards me. Her eyes found mine, and the sorrow etched into her beautiful face was nearly my undoing. Quickly, I hauled her onto my lap as she continued to cry, the occasional hiccup mixed in.

"It's OK, I've got you," I crooned, grasping for any words of consolation. "Shhh, I'm here."

She buried her head in my chest. Her hands curled around my T-shirt clinging to me like her life depended on it. Rocking her slowly back and forth I rubbed circles on her back the way my mother used to when I was a child. I remembered it always helped. It made me feel safe, and reminded me that whatever was wrong would work itself out.

"I've got you babe. You're strong, stronger than you realize. You'll get through this, I know it. I'll be there every step of the way. I know it's a small comfort, but I truly believe that you were given this life because you are strong enough to live it."

I could feel her head nodding in time with my words. I didn't know if what I was saying was helping, but on some level it was getting through. If that was all I could do for her then I'd do it willingly. She needed to know her worth.

"You're it for me Jo. It you believe in nothing else, believe in that, believe in me."

Seconds turned into minutes as she continued to cry, and I continued to console. Slowly, her sobs changed into only the occasional sniffle, her hands wiping at her tear stained face. Taking a few shaky breaths she leaned back slightly, looking down at my shirt, which was drenched with her tears. She looked embarrassed which I found ridiculous. I smiled at her reassuringly, hugging her. She shook her head at me disbelievingly.

"Why are you still here?" she asked, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.

Smiling at her I said, "I told you, I love you."

For the first time since I'd said the words she smiled. She still didn't look completely persuaded, but I'd wear her down. I was nothing if not persistent. Somehow I just knew no one had ever told her they loved her. Given what I'd heard earlier it wasn't too surprising, but it still filled me with rage all the same. I wanted to hunt down everyone who had ever hurt her, had ever made her doubt herself, and end them.

Not for the first time I realized Jo and I weren't that different. We struggled with memories from tragedies long past. The difference was I'd come to term with my demons while Jo was still pretending hers didn't exist. Like if she simply didn't acknowledge it then it would magically disappear. Jo was the human equivalent of an ostrich with her head in the sand. I was well acquainted with the mechanics behind avoidance, my email was proof enough of that, but in this instance it would only make things worse.

It would take time, but in order to change her life she needed to change her perspective. Weaknesses could become strengths with no more than a shift in thinking. Nightmares could become lessons learned by facing the demons head on.

Every thought didn't have to be battle.

Every breath didn't need to be a war.

Together we could annihilate everything that threatened to destroy her.

Sometimes you have to fight through bad days to earn the best days of your life.

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 **LadyBugQueen421: Hello again! Yes, my plan is to update every Friday. Most of the time I'm able to make it happen, it's only when I'm traveling for work that things get dicey. FYI, I do that after my kids go to bed/nap too. In fact, sometimes I adjust nap time so I can do some reading :) Thanks for reading and reviewing!  
**

 **JesseBWriting: I know exactly how you feel. In fact, I felt the same way until I read an entire series for one POV then from another. I was beyond leery b/c how much could they bring to the table by changing the POV? Didn't I already know everything? They proved me wrong and showed me it can be done successfully. It's what I'm aiming for so I'm glad you are enjoying it and it doesn't get boring. Yes, I'm planning a sequel that will follow the events in the movie. There will be some minor changes since this is AU and Jo will be there doing her thing, but nothing crazy. Hope you check it out when I post it. Thanks for reading and reviewing, it means a lot!**

 **LynxOnSmoothies: LOL! That's exactly how I pictured it too. His thoughts totally conflicted. Oh Owen, gotta love him! I love writing Skeletor, she's a hoot. I appreciate you sticking with me and offering great reviews :)**

 **angelicedg: I completely agree. Writing from his POV allows me get in the emotional weeds more so to speak. I'm glad his perspective is not only adding to the story, but everyone's view of Jo. Yeah! Thanks again for reading and reviewing.**

 **MsRose91: I am so happy to hear that! I'm always asking myself What Would Owen Do? I'm glad it is coming through in the writing. I appreciate you sticking with me and reading/reviewing!**

 **BlueEyedPisces: Skeletor is just too much fun! I say go for it with the ringtones...my family only hated me for about a day, maybe a day and half. Totally worth it!**

 **jahoney: I have considered Owen's own PTSD and issues stemming from his service. I tried to display them in this chapter as a way for us to not only get some more insight into his character, but how similar he and Jo actually are. This was an emotionally heavy chapter and I hope you like how it played out. As always, I appreciate your thoughtful reviews.**


	12. A Seat at the Table

**Over 100 followers...you guys make it all worth it. To all of you that have supported me through this, thank you!**

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 **Chapter 12 – A Seat at the Table**

In my life I've known little contentment. In my youth, I courted danger, lived for instant pleasure, and made choices that almost put me in an early grave. While it was certainly an exciting time in my life it lacked a certain measure of happiness. Restlessness existed in my soul that I was unable to quiet.

In recent years, my life has slowed down considerably. Gone are the days of hard living, excessive drinking, and shallow relationships. However, I still felt the incessant tug that something was missing. I wasn't content, happy, fulfilled.

In the past 24 hours I'd discovered it was never something I was missing at all, it was someone, more specifically Jo. We'd spent the hours after her emotional breakdown slowly, but steadily building a bridge to each other. Establishing common ground, a solid footing we could both navigate with ease. I didn't push her for anything she wasn't willing to divulge, and in return she was more willing to confide in me. Sometimes I simply sat beside her and listened quietly. Other times I asked the occasional question, or gave my opinion. More times than I could count I held her while she cried. While the bridge we were building was still shaky, for now it was holding.

My favorite times were when words failed us both so we reverted to a language that needed no explanation. We communicated with touch and feel. Our bodies so in synch we could read what the other needed, and deliver pleasure that should probably be illegal it was so addicting. I'd had my fair share of sexual experience. To the extent I'd been accused on multiple occasions of being promiscuous. Total bullshit in my opinion. Promiscuous implies that I wasn't choosy when, in fact, I was very choosy. I just happen to have more choices than most. Don't hate the player, hate the game my friends.

What was happening between Jo and I was entirely different. I've never been a believer in soul mates, or "the one", but whatever I was feeling now threatened to prove me wrong. It wasn't just the sex, and believe me it was transcendent, but I'd had great sex before. The problem with having great sex with someone you didn't feel anything for was the feeling of elation that accompanied the physical act vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. Here one minute, gone the next. Leaving you feeling unsatisfied, and in search of the next big score.

The last thing I felt with Jo wrapped securely in my arms was restless. I didn't feel the need to move. I wasn't sure I could if I had to. I was utterly satisfied, both body and soul. Jo and I might not be soul mates and true love might not exist, but I knew one thing, she was my heart. The passionate, spontaneous, foul-mouthed woman in my arms was the missing piece of my puzzle that up until now had eluded me. I wanted for nothing when she was with me.

We spent hours talking, laughing, and loving each other. Occasionally, we took breaks for the essentials, like food or showers. Well, showers started out as essential, but quickly spiraled into recreational. I'll say one thing, given the limited space in my shower we could have easily pulled off the closet in the server room, I'll leave it at that.

"I can't believe you wanted to be a crab fisherman," I laughed.

"I was six," she huffed. "It's not that funny."

Another round of laughter exploded from me while Jo glared up at me. It was hard to take her glares seriously when she was half naked, her head lying on my chest as I twirled strands of her hair around my finger.

"It's pretty funny. Especially when you consider the fact that you don't like water."

"That's why there's a boat."

Picking my head up off the pillow I looked down at her, "You do realize the Bearing Sea is a pretty nasty place. Waves crashing over the side of the boat isn't unheard of."

"Since when are you an expert in Alaskan crab fishing?" she asked, her annoyance level climbing.

"Since Deadliest Catch debuted on the Discovery Channel."

Her face turned to one of confusion. "There's an entire show dedicated to crab fishing?"

"Basically. Where have you been? It's one of the most popular shows on TV," I chuckled, earning me another glare.

"I've been busy doing…things," she answered, waving her hand dismissively. "So, Mr. Know-It-All, what did you want to be when you were a kid?"

"Fireman."

"Lame."

"Lame? Firemen are cool. They scale burning buildings. Why is wanting to be a community helper lame, but your desire to fish for a living cool?" I inquired. One could never assume to understand the inner workings of Jo's mind.

"Everybody wants to be a fireman, that's what makes it lame. It lacks originality. No one dreams of being a crab fisherman so, by default, mine is cooler."

This is the kind of ass backwards logic that had her devising plans to break into places using parachutes and helicopters.

"Says the woman who doesn't like water. I'd say there are some flaws in your plan," I replied. The irony that she'd taken a job on an island wasn't lost on me.

"Yeah, well, I'm still working out the details," she said, shaking her head.

"I'd also like to point out you ended up in not one, not two, but three jobs that are basically just like being a fireman except you get to shoot people. So, in reality you're the one who lacks creativity," I taunted.

"That wasn't a lack of creativity, it was a lack of options," she fired right back.

Our easy conversation was interrupted by someone pounding on the outside of my bungalow. I had a pretty good idea of who it was, and I had an even better idea of how I was going to kill him.

"It's been almost two days you guys! Give it a rest already," Barry yelled.

Jo groaned, her head that she'd raised due to the racket immediately fell back onto my chest. "What are the chances he'll just go away if we ignore him?"

"Slim to none," I said, smiling. "Get dressed, I'll meet you outside."

Going back to the land of the living was the last thing I wanted to do, but Barry was like a dog with a bone when he got something in his head. He'd probably filled up my voicemail with threatening messages by now. I was a little surprised he'd taken this long, but talk about cock blocking.

Reluctantly getting out of bed I threw on some clothes, running my fingers through my hair. Before leaving the room I turned around, flashing Jo a smile when I found her eyes already trained on me. It was good to know she couldn't keep her eyes off me anymore than I could her.

Exiting the bungalow the harsh Costa Rican sun beat down on me. Jesus, it was hot out. I spotted Barry and Lowery seated in some lawn chairs haphazardly strewn around the front lawn.

"Dick move man," I told Barry, grabbing a lawn chair of my own.

"Seriously? It's been almost two days. I was worried if I didn't intervene you two wouldn't have any bodily fluids left," Barry laughed. "The rumor mill on the island is running with this one man. You two need to surface before they started theorizing you've eloped."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "The rumor mill? I always knew you had the soul of an 80 year-old woman."

Barry shot me the finger before continuing, "I can't help but know about it. My association with you makes me a prime target for information. I can't get within two miles of Main Street without being accosted."

"I'm sure it has absolutely nothing to do with the betting pool you're holding the money for," I mused, smirking at a shocked Barry. That pool was the worst kept secret on this island. The only person who didn't know about it was Jo, and that was only because she knew exactly four people on the island. Well, that and she scared the bejeezus out of everyone so they gave her a pretty wide berth.

"You know about the bet?" Lowery probed gingerly. He was fidgeting in his seat, unable to look me in the eye.

"Of course I know about the bet. Who ended up winning?" The pool was based around when Jo and I would finally "get together", whatever that meant. To win all you had to do was select the correct day. Last time I'd checked the payout was up to $500.

"Marco," Barry pouted. "He picked the night of the gala. He said it was because he has, and I quote, the sight."

I smiled, Marco was always rambling on that his grandmother on his father's side had "the sight", and she had passed it on to him. He claimed it helped guide him through life, and sometimes even gave him glimpses of the future. I thought he'd been sipping a little too much of his Trashcan Punch.

"That's not it," Lowery interrupted, "Zara stopped by Margaritaville a few weeks before the gala and was going on and on about Jo's dress. When he asked her to describe it he changed his bet to the night of the gala."

"That's smart," Barry stated. "If I'd known Jo was going to wear a dress like that I'd have put my money there too."

"No kidding," Lowery added, a little too enthusiastically for my taste. It was hard to fault the guy. It was like that dress had been pulled directly from every man's fantasy.

"Easy hero, that's my girlfriend you're drooling over," I cautioned. While I could understand Lowery's lustful stare it didn't mean I wouldn't break his face if he didn't cut it out.

Lowery discreetly wiped at his mouth. "I wasn't drooling. That's just…she's like a sister to me."

Barry barked out a laugh. "She's like a sister to you because you got friend zoned. If I remember correctly when you first met her you wanted to hit that," Barry explained, complete with air quotes for hit that.

I closed my eyes, praying for patience. My brain couldn't process computer nerd Lowery and hit that in the same sentence. It was like pickles on ice cream, it simply didn't go together.

"I..well…I love Vivian," Lowery tried to clarify, swallowing the lump in his throat. I rolled my eyes and sent up a thank you to anyone in the near vicinity when Jo opened the bungalow door, strolling out. Anything to end this conversation. My mouth watered as I looked at her. The gown from the gala had nearly brought me to my knees. Seeing her wearing my clothes, hair wild from our night together, lips still deliciously swollen made it hard to breathe. There was just something about a woman wearing your clothes that was sexy as hell.

"Wow Jo, that is one impressive walk of shame," Lowery whistled. Without missing a beat Jo shot him the finger, taking a chair next to me, propping her feet up on an old egg crate.

"Did you both come over here just critique my wardrobe? Cause I gotta tell you, I was having more fun before you showed up."

Lowery blushed instantly, pushing his glasses up his nose, a clear sign of his discomfort. Barry laughed, shaking his head as I pinned her with my eyes. I licked my lips, scrutinizing every inch of her. Her mouth opened then closed a few times as she bit her bottom lip in a way that drove me to the point of insanity. We could talk about all this life and death stuff later, right?

"If you guys could keep your hands to yourselves for a few minutes that would be helpful," Barry stated bluntly. Jo stuck her tongue out at him. "We need to discuss what you found the night of the gala."

Hearing it out in the open was like a bucket of cold water was poured on my head. I sobered up immediately, forced back to our reality. As much as I'd like to hunker down in my bungalow with Jo we couldn't hide from the world forever. I glanced at Jo who gave me a slight nod to proceed. I recounted every detail of information we'd uncovered pertaining to the raptors and the Indominus Rex. The longer I talked the more everyone's mood soured. The actuality that our employers had potentially created a monster was bad enough. The fact, they'd obviously learned nothing from Jurassic Park, and were proposing even more outlandish ideas with Velociraptors made me livid. There was stupid, and then there was just plain reckless. The silence that followed once I was done permeated the air louder than an explosion.

"Not to be the odd man out here, but the information on the raptors isn't really that surprising," Lowery muttered, unsure of his declaration.

Turning my head I narrowed my eyes on him at the same time Barry leaned forward in his chair.

"He's right," Jo stated, coming to his defense. "Why invest money, time and resources in the raptors if they were never going to be incorporated in the park in some way?"

"You agree with what they are trying to do?" I asked, my displeasure leaking out. Weren't we supposed to be on the same side of this thing?

She shook her head, "I'm not saying it's a good idea or even a viable one, but if you look at it from Simon's perspective there's no money in raptors if they aren't eventually an attraction."

"They will never be safe," Barry pointed out. "Everything we are doing is purely research, science. The notion they can ever be tamed is ludicrous."

Ludicrous was putting it mildly. There was a better chance of me banging Skeletor than the raptors being used as military assets.

"I agree, and I think Simon does too, but to secure funding for the project you have to have some kind of solid end game. People don't donate millions of dollars because they're good guys. They want measurable, tangible results," Jo clarified.

"That isn't the part we should be focused on," I pointed out. "It's InGen thinking they can be used as weapons that concerns me."

Heads all around the circle nodded in agreement.

"Um, not to say the raptors aren't important, but what about the evidence suggesting there is an actual genetic hybrid somewhere on this island," Lowery asked.

There wasn't enough time in the day to deal with all this bullshit.

"That is an entirely different story. The raptors being militarized is bad. A completely new species of dinosaur running loose in the middle of Central America kinda makes me want to update my resume," she responded, rubbing her temples.

True statement. I'd been thinking the same thing.

"So, what do we do?" Lowery asked the group.

No one answered right away. What _could_ we do? Obviously staying quiet wasn't an option, but there was no good way to approach this landmine.

Jo ran her hands through her hair, sitting up. "I take it to Simon."

"No!"

"No way!"

Barry and I bellowed in chorus. Jo was about as subtle as a kick to the nuts. No way should she be the one to delve down this rabbit hole. Plus, whoever put the spotlight on this catastrophe was bound to paint a bullseye on their back. The number of targets she was already sporting made me uncomfortable, adding this one would tip me over the edge.

She held up her hands, attempting to calm us down. "Well, what do you propose we do? Just sit on the information? Kindly ask InGen to stop making genetic hybrids and leave your raptors alone?"

I hated it when she was right.

"Simon is our only option. He either lied to my face about all this or he has no idea. My gut says he's in the dark. We can change that," she reasoned.

"And what if he did know?" I shot back. I wanted to have faith in Simon, but the list of people I trusted was small. Both of them were sitting beside me.

"Well, we cross that bridge when we come to it. If we do nothing then what was the point of all this? We have to try."

Of course we had to try, but placing Jo's safety in the direct line of fire didn't sit well with me. Not that she'd need it or want it, but how could I protect her if I wasn't there. Barry shook his head, in agreement with Jo's logic. Lowery just looked sick sitting in his lawn chair, staring at the ground. The guy liked a good conspiracy theory, but make one a reality and he needed training wheels.

"Why does it have to be you?" I asked, trying to keep a level head. The crushing feeling in my chest was threatened to engulf me. If anything ever happened to her I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I just found her. I couldn't lose her now.

"Who else is going to do it?" she asked softly, testing the waters. "Simon trust me, and he trust my judgment. He'll listen to what I have to say."

Someone trusting Jo's judgment was a scary thought, but she was right, again. It made me sick.

"It makes you a target," I said, standing up and pacing in front of the group.

"I'm already a target." Abruptly I stopped my pacing to glare at her. She just shrugged, like someone threatening to put her in a body bag was no big deal. I guess in her world it wasn't.

"That doesn't fill me with warm fuzzies Jo."

"It's our best option Owen," Barry interjected, coming to her rescue. I swung my death glare to Barry. Never in my life had I glared, now I couldn't look at anyone without wanted to inflict bodily harm. I don't know what I was more pissed about, that he'd taken Jo's side or that he was right. I am not a man who likes to be cornered, and right now I felt like a caged lion. Putting my hands on my hips I dropped my head, defeat flooding my veins.

"Fine, Jo will talk to Simon." I hated conceding, but we had no other option save doing nothing, and that was something none of us could live with.

The shindig broke up pretty quickly after that, Barry and Lowery making their way to their respective cars. When it was just the two of us I didn't move, still attempting to come to terms with our "plan". I could tell by the way Jo was acting she'd misinterpreted my demeanor. She thought I was mad. She couldn't be further from the truth. I wasn't made at all, I was scared. Terrified if I was being honest. Being in a relationship with Jo meant coming to terms with her being in dangerous situations, but I'd foolishly thought I'd have more time to adjust before one was dropped in my lap.

"Why do you always put yourself in these situations?" I asked her quietly, turning to face her.

Her face softened at my words. She stood up, walking over to me. "Because it's my job." She wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me tight. The tip of her nose nuzzled my neck as she placed a light kiss against my skin.

"Come on," she said, pulling me towards the bungalow. Not that I didn't like where this was going, but we still had some kinks to iron out before she went toe-to-toe with Simon tomorrow.

"You think you can distract me with sex?" I laughed as she continued trying to pull me. She stopped, turning around, seductively making her way towards me. She lightly brushed her breasts against my chest, her hands running up and down my biceps.

"Well…yeah." Any coherent thought flew out of mind when she'd swayed her hips back and forth a minute ago. Touching her tits to my chest while caressing my arms just cemented the deal. We could talk logistics later, much later.

Before she could protest I lifted her off her feet, throwing her over my shoulder. Her very girly squeal in response made me grin.

"Don't think this conversation is over," I told her, patting her delectable ass as I carried her inside.

Hours later we were both sated in bed, wrapped in each others arms. The worry rolling off of Jo was tangible. I knew she was anxious about talking with Simon. She wanted to believe he was a good man. His answers tomorrow could shatter her carefully constructed image of him. Jo prided herself on being able to read others, hell it was a part of her job, so to be wrong about Simon would be devastating. Even if Simon had no knowledge of what was happening at his park it wouldn't improve the situation. In fact, it made it worse. How far could InGen go if they could slip something of this magnitude passed someone like Simon?

All the "what ifs" were weighing heavily on both our minds, but I was more concerned with the implications for the woman beside me. InGen wouldn't appreciate this information being common knowledge. Hoskins had already tried to kill her for less.

"You need to be careful tomorrow. No matter how Simon reacts, what he knows, this is a very delicate situation," I said, pulling her closer.

"I know. I can do delicate."

I snorted, "Really?" Jo was a lot of things. Delicate, was not one of them.

"Of course, but I only break it out in extreme circumstances."

"I love you," I declared, a low laugh rumbling deep in my chest.

The ear splitting smile she flashed me was mesmerizing. She leaned forward, kissing me passionately, trying to convey with a kiss what she was unable to voice. It hadn't escaped my attention she hadn't said she loved me back. With anyone else it would have pissed me off, but with Jo I knew the history behind the words. Or more accurately, I knew the lack of history. She'd never had anyone love her and she'd certainly never loved anyone in return. It was simply a foreign concept. Like trying to convince her there were beverages other than beer.

Normally, such an omission would plant a seed of doubt that could break a relationship a part, but this time it just didn't matter. I didn't need her to say the words because I already knew she loved me. Words were fickle, it was actions that meant something, and every action Jo had shown me screamed that she loved me with every fiber of being. That was enough for me.

She sat up, crossing her legs as she looked down at me. Uncertainty was etched into her face as she struggled with whatever was on her mind. I grabbed her hand, squeezing it to let her know she could tell me anything.

"I…I don't want you to…I need you to know…" she stuttered.

Grabbing her other hand I told her, "Hey, it's OK, I know. I told you, I want you. As much or as little as you can give me. I'm not going anywhere."

Her eyes dropped down to the bed. "I just want to be enough," she whispered.

It broke my heart, the doubt in her voice. I sat up, cradling her head in my hands, forcing her eyes to meet mine.

"You are. You are everything to me now. That won't change." It was my vow, a promise. I would prove to her that some people kept their words. I would be her rock. We were a team now. I searched her face, making sure the words sunk in. Her eyes were bright, hopeful, as she leaned forward, kissing me. I felt myself relax a little. She was choosing to believe in me, in us. I could work with that.

x x x

The next morning my alarm woke me too early. Reaching over towards Jo my hand came up empty. Just like that the early morning fog was gone as I sat up quickly searching the small bedroom for any sign of her. I saw a note on my bedside table with Jo's messy scrawl scratched across the paper.

 _Morning Sexy,_

 _I'm off to "talk" to Simon. I thought it'd be best if I got there early, less chance we'd be interrupted. It was a tough choice considering how adorable you look in the morning, but I figure the less witnesses to whatever might happen the better. Stop worrying, I'm kidding (mostly). Just in case I'll disable the security cameras. OK, I can tell by your face you didn't find that funny. Seriously though, everything will be fine. I'll tell you all about it tonight at our dinner date. I was hoping you might have it in you to whip up another culinary masterpiece. If not, I have enough Nutri-Grain bars at my place for both of us :) I knew that one would get you. There's some coffee made at my place if you want to stop by on your way out. If not, do you mind stopping by anyway to turn the pot off…I'm 99% sure I'll forget._

 _Yours Always,_

 _Jo_

 _P.S. I feel like such a tool writing that, but it doesn't make it any less true._

Leave it to Jo to make ambushing someone sound like a walk in the park. What did she plan to do, break into his office and wait for the man to show up at work? I laughed before stopping. That was probably exactly what she was going to do. Hanging my head in my hands I sighed, this wasn't going to end well.

Since there wasn't a whole lot I could do about it now I decided to get ready for the day and keep my fingers crossed. Hoping for the best and planning for the worst was going to be a common occurrence in this relationship.

Normally I look forward to work like a kid looks forward to Christmas morning, but today would be nothing short of painful. There wasn't much on the schedule other than mundane tasks. The girls had a rare "free" day. I thought it was important that I spend time at the paddock that didn't involve training. Sure, I was their alpha, but if every time they saw me I was demanding things from them it could go south in a hurry. Today was reserved for me to do nothing more than observe them and vice versa. Unfortunately, it also involved ensuring the day-to-day tasks associated with running an organization like mine were accomplished.

Dressing quickly I left the bungalow, making the short trip to Jo's camper. As promised there was fresh coffee, complete with a travel mug waiting on the counter. Jo was a disaster in the kitchen, but her coffee was nothing short of miraculous. She told me she'd perfected it on one of her last tours overseas. I think her ability to brew the perfect cup stemmed from her insomnia. She needed caffeine to function, and this stuff could run a mac truck for days it was so strong. How she managed to get the slight notes of hazelnut and spices to peak through the insane amounts of espresso was a mystery.

Arriving at the paddock I was hopefully today wouldn't blow as much as I was imagining. A few hours of paperwork later I'd lost all hope. Why did ordering pigs require me to sign 78 pages of request forms? Was it really necessary to have a staff meeting to talk about paddock maintenance? Deep down I knew I'd brought this on myself. I refused to relinquish control of my operation to anyone. The girls were my family. I simply couldn't leave anything to chance where they were concerned. Any outside interference would guarantee one thing, problems. The only person I allowed in the mix in any capacity was Barry. I'm pretty sure he wished I'd cut him out like I had everyone else. He'd been working on the office supply order for 45 minutes. The time and effort it took to get things to this remote island paradise was staggering.

"I'm ordering 500 pens, 250 boxes of paper, and 300 ink cartridges," Barry mumbled, hunched over his keyboard typing. I took the opportunity to stop signing paperwork. I needed a break before I developed carpal tunnel from all the writing.

"You don't think that's overdoing it?" I asked. Buying in bulk was a proven cost saver, but we still had to get Claire's approval for these orders. Something told me she'd take issue with us buying out the nearest Office Max.

Barry swiveled around in his chair, murder in his eyes. "I'm not going through this every few weeks. This should keep us stocked for a few months, a year if we're frugal. If we run out before that you can write in your own blood for all I care."

Welcome to Jurassic World, you don't have to be crazy to work here we'll train you.

"OK buddy, simmer down. If you want 1,000 pens you can have 1,000 pens," I said, trying to calm him down. "Why don't we take a break? We missed lunch by about three hours."

The promise of a break and food calmed Barry down. I checked my phone, again, hoping Jo might have called. Just like every other time today I found it suspiciously void of any calls or texts. Hopefully this was a good omen. Before we could make it out the door my office phone rang. Jogging back towards my desk I picked it up as Barry hovered near the door.

"Raptor paddock, this is Owen," I answered.

"Mr. Grady, this is Dr. Kondrat calling from the health clinic on campus." I fell into my chair, absolute terror making my vision blur. I couldn't breathe, I could barely see. Every thought was focused on Jo, and what the man on the other end of the phone was going to tell me. "Mr. Grady, are you still there?"

Clearing my throat I answered, "Yes, I'm here. What were you calling about?" Barry inched closer to my desk, his arms folded over his chest, his face serious. I hit the speaker phone button, resting my head in my hands.

"I'm calling at the request of Mr. Masrani. He would have called himself, but he's tied up with park business," the doctor explained. I wished the guy would hurry up and spit it out, I was dying here. "A man was admitted to my clinic today with a fractured collarbone."

"A man?" I interrupted him.

"Correct, a…let me see if I can find it. Yes, here it is, a Mr. Hoskins," he clarified, "As I was saying, his collarbone was fractured in several places. He refuses to specify how the injury occurred; only going so far as to say a crazy lady attacked him. Mr. Masrani was made aware of the incident and insisted I call you. To be honest, this violates doctor-patient confidentiality, and I made my opinion on the involvement of an outside party clear to Mr. Masrani, but since this is an independent health clinic in a foreign country I'm not bound by some of the, shall we say, normal laws governing medical practice."

Barry's smile was so wide it was almost blinding. Dr. Kondrat might not know who the "crazy lady" was, but he was the only one. Whatever Hoskins had done I was positive he deserved the broken bones Jo left him with, but the guy had a long memory. He was dangerous when provoked. Too bad for him so was Jo.

"Well, I appreciate the call Dr. Kondrat," I told him.

"If you don't mind me asking, why would Mr. Masrani want you to be notified about an incident involving a mentally unstable woman?" I bit down on my knuckle to keep from laughing into the phone. Barry had given up trying to quietly express his amusement, and had moved to other side of the office where he could roll hysterically on the ground in peace.

"Ah, I'm sure he just wants to make sure all department heads are on the lookout," I answered smoothly. Or it could have something to do with the fact the "mentally unstable woman" was my girlfriend. Simon had a twisted notion I had some kind of control over Jo. I had better control over my girls, and they only listened to me about half the time.

"Well, that's probably best. The injury was quite horrific, and rather painful I'm afraid. I would be careful until this person is apprehended; this isn't the type of damage just anyone could inflict. If it wasn't so gruesome it would be impressive," he finished.

"Right, well, thanks for the call. Have a good day," I replied, hanging up the phone. Immediately I picked up my cell phone, dialing Jo's number. Straight to voicemail. Well, if I needed anymore confirmation she was the one who'd beat the shit out of Hoskins I had it now.

Josephine King, Avoidance Level = Master.

Sighing I dropped the phone back on the table. "This wasn't what I had in mind when we talked yesterday."

"I don't even remember Hoskins factoring into the equation," Barry supplied, still laughing intermittently. Solid point. "Besides, whatever he did he deserved what he got, and then some."

Couldn't argue with that. I myself wanted to break a few of Hoskins more delicate body parts after the stunt her pulled at the paddock a few weeks ago. What concerned me was what had driven Jo to such lengths? To the outside world she appeared to act without thought, but nothing could be further from the truth. Everything she did served a purpose. No action was ever wasted. The only thing I could think of that would validate this type of retribution was an outright threat against someone close to her.

"Agreed. She'll need to be even more careful now. Hoskins may be stupid, but he's dangerous, and he's got the support of an entire organization at his fingertips," I stated.

"She's got us," Barry stated. Damn right. If anyone wanted at her they'd have to get through me first. Good luck to anyone who tried that.

The rest of the day passed without incident, unless of course you account for the numerous paper cuts Barry and I suffered through in our day of paperwork hell. Once home I took my time changing, grabbing a beer, and getting ingredients together for dinner. I expected Jo anytime, and I really needed to have myself in check before she showed up. I wasn't mad per say. I was more concerned she would start a fight she couldn't win.

Half an hour later she pulled up in her Jeep while I was at the grill basting the chicken with my homemade BBQ sauce. She climbed the porch steps just as I'd closed the grill.

"Any of that for me?" she asked hopefully.

"I got an interesting call today," I said, my eyebrows raised and arms crossed over my chest.

Her face paled, her eyes darting back towards her camper. Oh, I really hoped she tried to run. That would make thing far more interesting.

"Really, about what?" She was aiming for casual, but fell far short. The quiver in her voice was unmistakable.

"Seems Hoskins ended up at the clinic with a broken collarbone," I replied dryly. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?"

She leaned against the porch railing, examining her nails with unnatural interest. "Um, I can neither confirm nor deny anything."

I ran a hand through my hair in exasperation, "This is your idea of delicate?"

"In my defense he pushed my buttons and his bones are brittle," she said grimacing.

Was there anyone on this island who didn't push her buttons? You couldn't just go around breaking bones because someone pissed you off.

"What happened?" I asked my voice softer.

She walked over to a chair, sitting down with a sigh. "Just Hoskins being Hoskins. Threats, violence, intimidation. Normal day at the office."

That mother fucker was going to die. It was bad enough he tried to kill her using my girls, but to threaten her again was a death sentence. She leaned her head back against the chair, her eyes closing. She looked tired, and I suddenly realized today had to have been hard for her. We still hadn't even broached the topic of her conversation with Simon. I felt like an ass. All day the only thing I'd done was sign and file paperwork while she'd been left to deal with eccentric billionaires, deranged maniacs and genetically modified killing machines.

"You OK?" I sat down on the coffee table directly in front of her, placing my hands on her legs.

"I'm fine. Hoskins on the other hand is going to need a few weeks before he's back in the saddle again."

I chuckled. Good, I hope that shit hurt like hell for weeks. "Well, at least it will never be boring. We're gonna have to work on your temper." She scoffed in mock outrage, giving me a half-smile.

"That's not even the best part," she disclosed, changing the subject. "I had a pretty interesting conversation with Simon."

It was time to put the woman and children to bed, shit was about to get real. I sobered up immediately, my entire focus squarely on Jo. She launched into the events of her day, starting with her ambush conversation with Simon. I wasn't surprised he'd found out about the InGen's sinister plans for the raptors. Simon wasn't stupid, and there was a reason he was a gazillionaire. Men like him left little to chance. What got my blood boiling was him signing off on the idea.

"Are fucking kidding me?" I yelled. "He can't seriously think the idea is viable."

"He doesn't. He knows the raptors will never be tame enough for what InGen is proposing. He's simply using their idea to his advantage," she affirmed. It was a small consolation that Simon wasn't on board with the idea of the girls as weapons, but we'd take a win where we could get it.

"What about the Indominus Rex?" I questioned. At this point I wasn't sure I wanted to know, but we'd come this far. There was no going back now. Jo hesitated, scratching her head while she collected her thoughts. This was going to be worse than I thought.

"That's a little different story. We were right, they aren't purely theory. In fact, up until about six hours ago there were two."

About 10,000 things ran through my head all at once, but I was unable to utter a single word. Not only was the I-Rex real, there were two. Well, there used to be two.

"You saw them? Up close and personnel?" I didn't want Jo within two continents of those things, but if she'd seen them then we could use that to our advantage. We were seriously lacking in the information department when it came to the I-Rex project.

She cringed, "A little too up close and personnel."

She explained that Simon had taken her to Paddock 11 to see the dinosaurs. I struggled to place the characteristics she was describing as she told me about their appearance. The resembled no dinosaur I could recall.

"You're sure it's part T-Rex?" I queried.

"100%, there's no mistaking that." This was bad. Scratch that, this was fucked up. What possible purpose could the lab have for using the T-Rex genome other than creating an actual T-Rex? "That's not the worst part, there are so many other DNA possibilities it's staggering. They exhibit behavior that is so familiar, but I can't put my finger on what it is yet."

"Well, if they are attempting what Simon asked for, more teeth and scarier, god only knows what they dipped their hands in," I supplied. These people were straight up oxygen thieves.

"Want to hear the part that will give you nightmares?" She paused, swallowing deeply before continuing. "The bigger one ate the smaller one."

I froze. Siblicide. I'd studied the phenomenon, but never witnessed it. The killing of an infant by a close relative, usually a sibling, was a basic evolutionary driver meant to ensure genetic viability of a population. It was mainly seen in birds, but had been noted in hyenas and wasps occasionally. Normally, it occurred as a means for the older sibling to ensure there were adequate amounts of food thus solidifying their survival. A sibling meant another mouth to feed, and if resources were scarce it led to the killing of younger rivals.

"You OK?" Jo was waving her hand in front of my face trying to get my attention.

"It ate the sibling?" I needed to be sure. This type of predatory behavior was far outside the documented parameters of any known dinosaur. That type of aggression, especially against a family member, would mean lethal consequences the likes of which we might not be able to measure.

She shook her head, and I got up, returning to the grill. Pulling open the lid I furiously turned the chicken over as I ran through the implication in my head.

"Simon wants me involved." Of course he did. He wanted to cover his ass, and Jo was his insurance policy. She could be his eyes and ears for a project that had spiraled dangerously out of his control.

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him he's fucking crazy if he doesn't blow that thing up before it eats everyone on this island." I believed her. Sometimes Jo's judgment could be deemed "questionable", but she was right on the money this time. "I think it's probably a good idea. We need to know what's going on and that's easier if I have a seat at the table," she continued.

"Yeah," I responded, resignation bleeding into my voice. "It's going to get a lot worse, you know that right?"

She nodded her head in silent agreement. The question remained, was there anything we could do to stop it?

We were in for the fight of our lives. The cost of which I wasn't sure I was willing to pay.

* * *

 **jahoney: I think you are right...no one can be strong all the time. I'm glad you enjoyed the peak into Owen's past. I do think seeing his past helps us understand how alike the two of them actually are. I wanted it to help establish how he understands some of what she is going through, and why they are so drawn to each other. Sometimes unless you've been there you just can't understand. Thanks for such insightful reviews, they help me strive to get better each week. Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter.**

 **MsRose91: The original scene was very emotional, and I found that writing it from Owen's was just as stressful. He has his own demons to deal with and bringing those into the light was important. I hope that it shows how much he understands Jo, and why he is willing to stick by her. Thank you for reading and reviewing, it means the world.**

 **KaraAlissa: That is such an awesome compliment. Sometimes when I'm writing I try to imagine what it would be like to be in the room, and I try to put that on paper so everyone can experience it. It's so great when you hear that it actually worked. Sometimes there is so much happening it's hard to know what to include and what to omit. I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter, thanks for the review!**

 **BlueEyedPisces: The similar history these two share is essential, I think. I wanted that chapter to show how much Owen understands Jo, why he is willing to help her, and plant the seeds for his devotion. It helps us establish the shift in their relationship, and this chapter gives us our first peak at the "new Jo and Owen". As for the ringtones, I'm with your mom on this one...the Redskins suck, go Dallas! :)**

 **angelicedg: I'm so glad you like them. I dig them too, but sometimes I'm hesitant to put them in. I always think, is this too much? too cheesy? etc. As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing...it means a lot and keeps me going!**

 **JesseBWriting: I enjoyed writing that scene from Owen's POV. At first, I was slightly wary, I thought it would be hard, but once I started it came pretty naturally. I think it was because I knew there needed to be a connection in their pasts. Some way for us to see why they were so "connect" for lack of a better term. I'm so happy you enjoyed reading it and hope you liked this chapter also.**

 **LadyBugQueen421: Yeah! I'm glad you liked it and hope this one doesn't disappoint. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	13. Show Me a Hero

**I get asked a lot if there are ever songs that inspire or influence a chapter, and normally the answer is no. However, this chapter does have a little musical inspiration, especially from Jo's POV. The song is Don't Let Me Down by the Chainsmokers. Give it a listen after you read this (and maybe the chapter from Jo's POV), I think it's right on the money.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13 – Show Me a Hero and I'll Write You a Tragedy**

I'm no stranger to fear. In fact, I welcome it. It keeps me sharp, makes me honest, and reminds me that I'm still alive. The absence of fear was not bravery, it was stupidity. Those who claim to fear nothing are either lying and secretly afraid of everything, or they're fearless because they care about nothing. The only true way to distance yourself from fear was to also distance yourself from the very essence that makes you human.

Looking back there was nothing about that day that stood out. It was a typical day in paradise. I have this illogical theory that nothing bad should happen on a beautiful day. When I was in college my grandfather died suddenly of a heart attack. He was my hero, a WWII veteran who was tough as nails and took no shit. He was my inspiration for joining the Navy. The day we buried him had been cold, overcast and rainy. Almost like the heaven's themselves were mourning with us. It felt right to me that the day was shitty given how my heart was aching. Sunny, beautiful days were reserved for joy and happiness. A naive notion of how the world should work. The simple truth, reality and expectations rarely coincide.

I'd said goodbye to Jo early that morning in the same way I had for the last few weeks, with a fiery kiss and a promise to see her later. I left for the raptor paddock while she took off for another day of babysitting the I-Rex. More often than not that was where she spent her time in an effort to glean any information she could from the mutant dinosaur. So far, all we had was a lot of theory and speculation. The hardest part of the entire arrangement was pretending like I didn't know about it. I was a man of action. It went against every fiber of my being to sit back and feign ignorance about something so monumentally dangerous. I knew I'd be brought into the loop, eventually, but patience wasn't something I excelled at.

My mood was somewhat improved given it was Friday, and I was eagerly looking forward to the weekend. It was a rare occurrence that both Jo and I had two days off at the same time, but the stars had aligned this weekend. By aligned I meant I'd manipulated my schedule and had Lowery do the same for hers. Sitting around waiting for fate to do you a solid was like crossing your fingers and hoping telephone solicitors went away…never gonna happen. I had the entire weekend planned. Not that it was too hard considering the only thing on the agenda was Jo naked.

Barry and I had just arrived at my bungalow after a semi-successful day in terms of the how the girls behaved, and I was looking forward to a good meal. Friday night dinners with the three of us had become a ritual. Barry liked to save money by mooching off me, and Jo was allergic to cooking so it was a win-win for them. She was not, however, allergic to meal planning, and had taken it upon herself to schedule every Friday night dinner for the next eight weeks. Checking the calendar posted on my fridge I confirmed it was lasagna night. Jo was a sucker for Italian food, or any food she wasn't physically required to make.

Walking into the living room I threw my bag onto the couch with a sigh. Normally I'm such a neat freak I make OCD people look disorganized, but since meeting Jo the cleanliness of my bungalow was hovering somewhere in the vicinity of a FEMA disaster zone.

"You want a beer?" I asked Barry as I walked into the kitchen, already pulling out all the ingredients for the lasagna.

"Sure," he answered, looking cautiously around the room. "I don't think I've ever seen your camper in such a state of disarray."

I popped the cap off a beer, sliding the bottle across the island to Barry. "I know. Having Jo here is like living in the midst of an active tornado. She says as long as it isn't as bad as the people she sees on Hoarders we're good."

Barry laughed, taking a seat on a stool. "You love it."

I did. I really did. The chaos and unpredictability she'd brought into my life was like a breath of fresh air. I couldn't imagine my life without her.

"I'm going to ask her to move in with me."

I turned my back to Barry, filling a pot with everything I needed for my homemade sauce. I didn't know what reaction my announcement would generate from him, and for some unknown reason it mattered to me. Shock, disbelief, even laughter were pretty high on my list of possibilities. What I wasn't expecting was absolute silence. After a few minutes of hearing nothing but rattling pots and pans I decided to turn around and make sure Barry hadn't suffered a stroke. He was sitting on the stool, sipping his beer, looking completely unfazed. I raised my eyebrows at him, visibly inviting him to comment.

"What?" he asked nonchalantly.

"You got nothing to say?"

"No," he told me, tipping his beer bottle back. This was Twilight Zone strange. Barry had opinions about everything. "Is that information supposed to be surprising?"

It _was_ surprising. It shocked the shit out of me when the idea had popped in my head a few weeks ago. I'd never lived with a woman before. Hell, I'd never even considered the possibility. This was a big fucking deal, and here Barry was sitting at my counter like I'd told him it was going to be another tough year for the Dallas Cowboys.

"I can see by your reaction you're taken aback by this little development," Barry offered, laughing at my expense. "You two are always so perceptive about everyone but yourselves."

"I could do without the fortune cookie wisdom man."

"Owen, I knew this was coming the day you asked me if I knew anything about a new hire. If I had any doubt, which I didn't, it was erased the first time I saw the two of you together. Call it chemistry, call it fate, call it whatever you want, but you two were inevitable."

Dropping the spoon into the saucepan I just stared at Barry. This was pretty heavy stuff for a casual Friday night dinner party. Was Barry right? Were Jo and I the only ones who didn't see this coming?

"I'm happy for both of you," Barry continued, "But you know she's gonna freak out when you ask, right?"

I shook my head, smiling. "No shit Captain Obvious."

"Just doing my part Sergeant Sarcasm," he deadpanned.

Jo's fear of being loved was only rivaled by her unwavering allegiance to the theory she deserved nothing but pain. If you applied the crawl, walk, run philosophy to our relationship we were somewhere in the neighborhood of learning to sit up without falling over. I'd considered holding off on asking her to move in with me, but she practically lived here already. Just take a look at my bathroom. For a woman who could get ready in less than five minutes she had an inordinate amount of crap, most of which I was unable to even identify. With that being said I couldn't figure out why we shouldn't just make it official? That was how the logical part of my brain explained it, but deep down I knew the real reason. I wanted it to be official. I wanted to know that this space was ours. That she would be here every night, and I'd wake up next to her every morning. I wanted to live in a world where finding the TV remote meant checking in the refrigerator, and finding her cell phone meant taking every cushion off the couch at least twice a day. Our relationship may only be a few months old, but my feelings ran deep.

"She'll come around," Barry affirmed.

"I know that too." I didn't doubt Jo's love for me, and I didn't doubt her commitment to our relationship. The trepidation she would feel about moving in was residual fear left behind from her past. She worked hard to change her reality, but lingering doubts blew in like clouds that obscured the sun on a rainy day.

Assembling the lasagna in a pan I checked my watch. Jo should be home any minute. I stopped, home, I wasn't sure when I'd started thinking of my bungalow as "our home". If I was being honest it didn't matter where we were as long as Jo was with me. She was my home now. Like thinking about her conjured her up my cell rang, Jo's picture prominently displayed.

"Hey, you almost here?" I asked, placing the phone between my chin and my shoulder as I continued building lasagna layers.

She didn't answer right away, and I heard what sounded like labored breathing. The cell service on the island was notoriously unreliable, and I chalked the sound up to static.

"No, I'm going to be a little late," she wheezed out, her words barely audible. It sounded like she was speaking under water, but what made my heart stop in my chest was the pain I heard in her voice. I dropped everything, rounding the kitchen counter.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. "Barry, find Lowery now!"

Without hesitation Barry pulled his cell out of his pocket immediately dialing Lowery's number. He moved to the opposite end of the living room, whispering in rushed tones.

I could hear Jo struggling to breathe. "Accident."

"Jo, talk to me. Do you know where you are?" I was already moving around the room, collecting my keys and bag. She needed me, now. The effort she was exerted just to take a breath told me every second was critical. It sounded like she had a sucking chest wound. Something that needed immediate medical attention or the lung was guaranteed to collapse. Her next words threatened to paralyze me.

"Bottom of a cliff."

When she'd told me she was in an accident the worst I was expecting was her Jeep wrapped around a tree. Our roads were horrible at best so accidents were bound to happen, but someone driving their vehicle off a cliff wasn't something that happened without "help". I mentally took stock of every cliff face along the route home, and couldn't imagine anyone surviving a fall from any of them. The force of the revelation made my knees weak, and I was forced to grab the edge of the counter for support. Five minutes ago I was worried the worst thing that would happen tonight was Jo freaking out over the key I gave her. Now, I was facing down the possibility of her dying while I listened helplessly on the phone.

No. That wasn't happening. I wouldn't let it. Somehow, beyond all odds, she'd survived the initial fall off the cliff and then found a way to contact me. My girl was tough, and she needed me. I'd be damned if I let her die.

"Barry, do you have Lowery?" I called across the room, already making my way out the door. He nodded, following close behind me. "Track her phone. Have him send it to my Jeep, and tell him to contact Hamada."

Barry furiously relayed the information to Lowery as we loaded up in my Jeep. Firing up the engine I initiated the on-board computer system. Immediately a red dot appeared displaying Jo's coordinates. Thank god for Lowery.

"Jo, we're on our way. Hang on." Silence was the only response. I strained to hear her ragged breathing. Nothing.

No, no, no, no.

I kept repeating it over and over again in my head. Like if I simply didn't accept it then it wouldn't be true. For the first time in a very long time I prayed. I prayed to any god that would hear my plea to spare the life of the woman I loved. Please don't force me to listen to her die. Panic was not a feeling I was familiar with. The sheer dread I felt coursing through my body filled me with terror. My life was inextricable tangled with the woman dying at the bottom of that cliff. If she didn't survive, neither would I.

"Jo! Goddammit, talk to me!" I yelled into the phone, not bother to disguise my outright panic. Barry froze beside me, his phone dropping into his lap as he waited. I wasn't the only person in the car who loved Jo. Sure, it wasn't a romantic love where Barry was concerned, but it was love all the same.

"I'm here," she muttered weakly. The vulnerability in her voice was palpable.

"Baby, please tell me what's going on." I was terrified of what she was going to say, but not knowing was worse. As we sped down the dark, treacherous, jungle road I watched us move towards the red dot agonizingly slow. I could hear her crying on the other end of the phone as a single tear slipped down my own face.

"Owen…I'm…I'm not going to make it." She was crying in earnest now. I gripped the steering wheel with all my might, setting my jaw, willing myself to keep it together. Barry's conversation with Hamada stopped, his eyes careful averted, his head bowed.

"Yes you are. Do you hear me? I know where you are and we're almost there. Do you remember what I told you that night on the river?" The authority in my voice held a note of confidence I didn't really feel. My heart was in tatters, but my mind refused to accept what I was hearing. Jo would not die tonight. I simply wouldn't allow it. If I had to will her to live then that's just what I would do. I'd made her a promise I had every intention of keeping.

"I remember," she choked out.

"I meant it. I'll always come for you Jo, and I'm coming now so you have to hold up your end of the bargain, do you understand?" I pleaded with her.

"Just in case…"

"No, none of that shit. I don't want to hear it like this. Save your deathbed confessions for when we're 90," I cut her off. It would warm my heart to finally hear Jo voice her feelings for me, but I didn't want it if it was in conjunction with her saying goodbye. I'd rather hear resounding silence for eternity.

She laughed in response, the sound like music to my ears. Unfortunately, it was followed with a vicious coughing fit that sounded painful even through the phone. Her groan of agony sent a spasm of regret through my body.

"Shit, baby, I'm sorry," I apologized, "Fuck, Barry, how far?"

"Five, no six miles," Barry answered, dividing his time between the phone and the on-board computer system.

Grinding my teeth in agitation I pressed on the gas, the Jeep shooting forward with a lurch. Barry's body was flung to the side as we took a corner at breakneck speed.

"I think she's at Parador Cliff," Barry said, studying the small map displayed on the computer. "If I remember correctly there's a small turn off coming up that should lead us down to the base of the cliff."

Barry was right on the money. I saw a small jungle path rapidly approaching on our left. Slamming on the brakes I craned the wheel hard to the left, barely making the turn. The path was densely packed with trees and underbrush severely slowing our progress, but according to the map display this was a direct route to the beeping red dot on the screen. Jo was mumbling something on the other end of the phone. She didn't sound coherent, but at least she was still technically conscious.

"Owen, how far away are you?" she asked. She sounded distracted.

"Not far. Ten minutes, maybe," I told her, swallowing deeply before adding, "Why?"

She hesitated, and I knew we were in trouble.

"I don't have 10 minutes," she confessed.

I felt a part of myself die.

"Jo," I said hesitantly. Was this really how it was going to end? With Jo dying scared and alone while I listened on a fucking cell phone?

"Listen, I think my spleen is ruptured. Even if it's not there's too much blood. I…I can't focus anymore. My head got hit…concussion. Pretty bad, I think. Please don't blame yourself for this. You are the best…thing that ever…happened to me."

An audible thump punctuated her last word.

"Jo! Jo! Answer me!" I screamed, driving like a man possessed. "Please, please answer me. Baby, I'm coming. Do you hear me! I'm almost there. You are not allowed to die on me Josephine King!"

Deafening silence was the only response. I roared in agony, throwing my cell phone into the center console.

"Keep it together man," Barry said calmly. "Losing it won't help her."

I growled back at him unable to formulate actual words, but I knew he was right. Giving up was not in my nature. We were her only hope. Glancing toward the map I saw we were almost there. As a distraction I ran through her last words in my head trying to calculate every possible scenario. Getting to Jo was only half the battle. We still needed to get her out of the ravine, and keep her alive until we could get her to a hospital.

She'd thought her spleen was ruptured which accounted for what I hoped was just her passing out. She'd probably lost a significant amount of blood from that alone, and we still didn't know about any of her other injuries save the concussion.

"Barry, tell Lowery to get the clinic on the phone and let them know they've got an urgent causality incoming. Make sure they prep an operating room. Then get with Hamada and make sure he knows the shortcut down here. We need those medics as soon as he can get them here. I've got a first aid kit in the Jeep, but she's gonna need a hell of a lot more than that."

"I'm on it," Barry responded, quickly making the calls.

We rounded a sharp turn, and I slammed on the brakes. Ten feet in front of us was a mangled piece of metal that used to be Jo's Jeep. My headlights illuminated the gruesome crash, but my mind was unable to process what I was seeing. If I didn't know for a fact that it was a Jeep I wouldn't know what I was looking at. The vehicle had come to rest on the roof, the metal frame horribly twisted and torn, the body compressed by the violent impact. Large pieces of metal were warped, misshapen and jutting out at odd angles. I noticed one of the doors was missing, as well as two tires. There was a debris field that circled the crash in a ten-foot radius. The light from my headlights reflecting off all the broken glass looked like stars twinkling on a crystal clear night. Glancing up to the top of the cliff my eyes tracked all the way down the side of the rough cliff face. The impossibly long drop was littered with huge boulders and small trees that protruded out at different points along the decent. The drop was near vertical. No one could survive something like this. I knew it, I saw it, but I refused to accept it. I took all the emotion and turmoil swirling inside me and shoved it into the back of my mind. There would be time, much, much later, when Jo was better to deal with the fallout from tonight. Maybe Dr. Pierce was still on the island and could give me a diary of my very own.

Flying out of the Jeep I sprinted towards what I thought was the driver's side door, or what was left of it. Getting down on my hands and knees I peered inside the vehicle. Barry used a flashlight to illuminate the smashed interior. The first thing I noticed was all the blood. The metallic scent coated my tongue and burnt my nostrils, forcing me to take shallow breaths for fear I'd vomit. It wasn't the blood that bothered me; rather it was whose blood it was that had my stomach rolling.

My eyes found Jo, and a strangled sob shattering the near silence of the jungle. It took me a minute to realize the noise came from me. She was facing me, lying in a pool of her own blood. Her eyes were closed, her face deathly pale. Pressing my fingers to her neck I checked for a pulse. For an agonizing second I felt nothing. Searching desperately at her wrist I checked again, and felt a slow, erratic pulse beat beneath my fingers. I saw the slow, shallow rise and fall of her chest, and exhaled sharply through my nose. She was alive, barely. Now it was my job to make sure she stayed that way.

"Try to grab her other shoulder. We need to get her out of there," I told Barry as he moved to kneel beside me. We were both lying on our stomach as we simultaneously reached inside the Jeep. I rolled her onto her back eliciting a pitiful moan from her. "I'm sorry baby. We're gonna get you out of there, just hang on."

I didn't expect an answer, and I didn't get one. I weighed the pros and cons of moving her without knowing the full extent of her injuries, but it wasn't like we had the Jaws of Life to cut the metal away and properly remove her from the vehicle. Dragging her out was our only real option, and considering the rise and fall of her chest was getting slower and slower I wasn't willing to wait on the medics.

Shrugging out of my vest I laid it across what was left of the window to protect her from the serrated window shards. Barry and I maneuvered her body until we both had a firm grip under her arms. I counted to three, and we began to gently drag her body out through the buckled window. Other than the occasional groan she remained blissfully unaware during the entire process. Once we had her out of the Jeep we got our first good look at her.

"Oh my god," Barry muttered, staring at the six-foot piece of jagged metal sticking out of her left side. Gently, I probed the base of the wound trying to assess the damage. Pulling it out was not an option. Not with the limited medical supplies we had on hand. During my external exam I noticed her wrist was bent at an odd angle, definitely fractured, but not life threatening. There was a cut on the side of her head that would require stitches, and she was covered in numerous scratches.

Something vague pricked at the back of my mind setting me on edge. I was missing something, something big. Scanning every injury I searched my limited medical knowledge for the answer. I remembered that head wounds bled like a son of a bitch. Scanning her cut I noted there was hardly any blood gushing from the wound. Immediately, I looked down at the penetrating trauma wound caused by the metal fragment. It wasn't really bleeding either. Suddenly, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

Frantically I searched for a pulse. Nothing. I bent down listening for a breath that never came.

"She's not breathing!" I shouted to Barry, already beginning chest compressions. It was tricky business administering CPR to someone with a trauma wound in their upper abdomen, but getting her breathing again was my only priority.

Methodically I performed 30 chest compressions then moved towards her head. Placing my hand on her forehead and my fingers under her chin I tilted her head back, opening her airway. Pinching her nose closed I administered two rescue breaths, making sure her chest rose and fell in time. Repeating the cycle two more times I begged her silently to come back to me.

Moving back to her head for another round of rescue breathing I yelled at her, "Breathe, dammit!"

"Owen," Barry said quietly. I glanced up at him as he shook his head, his eyes downcast.

"No, she doesn't die tonight," I bellowed, unable to bear the truth. "Get on the phone and find out where Hamada is."

Moving back to her chest I used the palms of my hand to slam down another chest compression. Jo took in a ragged breath and my hands froze, hovering just above her chest.

"Jo…can you hear me? Baby, open your eyes. Please," I begged.

Her eyes remained firmly closed, but I felt her warm breath on my face as I leaned down towards her. She was breathing. For now.

"Hamada's here," Barry said, getting up off the ground to guide them in.

"Help's here Jo. You're gonna be just fine. You're a warrior, you hear me, you have to fight. Can you please open your eyes?" I asked, needing to see her beautiful brown eyes. I saw her eyelids flutter then open as she blinked rapidly. "Jo, can you hear me?"

She continued blinking in rapid succession like there was something in her eyes. I smiled at her reassuringly, gently brushing my hand down her face telling her everything would be alright. She looked confused, her head turning slightly left and right like she was trying to get her bearings.

"Owen," she croaked, her voice painfully horse.

"I'm right here baby. Just hold on. I love you." I gazed down at her, grabbing her hand and interlacing our fingers. She smiled weakly back at me, attempting to squeeze my hand, but only managed a small twitch of her fingers. Hamada sprinted up with the medical staff in toe. "Get over here!"

"Jesus Christ," Hamada mumbled, dropping to his knees beside Jo. "Is she..will she make it?" he asked the medics.

The medics offered the same lame ass answer that always accompanies these types of situations, "we'll do our best", "we can't promise anything", "we're going to take good care of her". The trio pushed everyone back except me as they knelt at her side diligently attempting to keep her alive. She was blinking slower and slower until she blinked and her eyes didn't open again. I felt panic seize my chest as I called her name.

"She's just unconscious," one of the medics answered. "Just keep talking to her. We're going to have to move her in a minute, that isn't going to be pleasant."

I continued whispering in her ear, rubbing circles on the back of her hand. The medics started an IV, immobilized her wrist, and taped her abdominal injury to minimize any movement of the metal shard during transport. Internal injuries were everyone's biggest concern. One of the medics unfolded a collapsible stretcher on the ground next to her.

"Alright, we're going to need all hands on deck for this," another medic spoke up as he wrapped a c-collar around Jo's neck to protect her spine.

He directed Barry, Hamada, and the two other medics into critical positions around her. He explained that on his count they were to lift her all together, careful to minimize any movement at her neck and abdomen, then transfer her over to the stretcher. With quiet confidence the medic rattled off the count then everyone lifted. I knew they were trying their best to be careful, but Jo was dead weight and her injuries made the lift incredible awkward. Her chest was wrenched upward suddenly, her eyes flying open in a haze of pain. If I live a 1,000 years I'll never forget the tortured sounds coming from her. My hand slipped from hers as they attempted to keep her body steady.

Her body rebelled against the onslaught of pain caused by moving her. She dry heaved violently, tearing open her wound in her upper chest. As they set her down carefully on the stretcher the three medics worked with precision, using their positions to turn her onto her side without causing any additional injuries so she could puke without choking. She whimpered as her body convulsed so violently I swear I felt it too. After what felt like hours she was able to stop, and the medics lowered her back down to the stretcher.

"Owen," she wept. Unable to move her neck or body she reached out blindly with her uninjured hand. I moved quickly, grabbing her outstretched hand.

"I'm here Jo. You're on the way to the hospital," I explained.

She didn't answer, but she managed to open her eyes. They cleared for a brief moment as she held me captive with her gaze.

"Please…don't…leave," she managed to choke out slowly.

Wild horses couldn't drag me away.

"I'll never leave you Jo. I can't…I can't say goodbye to you because I simply can't live without you. So you have to make it through this. Do you understand? You have to fight. You have to live," I whispered, bending down to brush my lips softly against hers.

In less than five minutes we had Jo loaded in the back of a van that Jurassic World had retrofitted with ambulance equipment. One medic loaded into the back with Hamada and I while the other two got into the driver and passenger seats. Hamada sat on the other side of Jo as we both watched the medic check her IV, vitals, and administer about 50 different kinds of medication. I kept my eyes planted on her face, my gaze only straying to check the monitors that displayed her heart beat and pulse. A few minutes ago I wouldn't have thought it possible, but she looked worse.

"She saved a man's life tonight," Hamada said suddenly, breaking the silence in the van.

"What?" Pulling my gaze away from Jo I looked towards him. He was staring intently at Jo, his face devoid of any emotion.

"I got the call from Ms. Dearing a few hours ago. There was an incident at one of the paddocks. Seems a worker was attempting to administer a feeding, and the animal attacked before he could get the door closed. His arm was partially severed. He should've died in minutes. He would have if she hadn't been there. She clamped his brachial artery in the back of a moving truck on the way to the clinic. He'll probably lose his arm, but he's going to survive."

I just gaped at Hamada, unable to say anything. Looking back down at Jo I shook my head. She'd done all that, saved someone's life no less, and now here she was in the back of a van fighting for her own. As much as she denied it she couldn't help but be a hero, it was in her blood. The ability to stay calm as the world raged with chaos all around in an effort to save others no matter the cost. If that wasn't a hero I didn't know what was. My heart swelled at her selflessness, and I fell in love with her a little bit more. Unfortunately, true heroism comes at a cost. No good deed goes unpunished.

"What paddock?" I already knew. It had to be the I-Rex. It was the only paddock she was a regular visitor at lately, and I knew for a fact she'd been there all day today. Too bad I couldn't tell Hamada that. I wasn't supposed to even know Paddock 11 existed; much less there was an I-Rex on the island. The circle of people who knew about the I-Rex was minuscule, and I knew Hamada wasn't privy to the information either.

"I don't know," he answered, his displeasure clear. "Everyone is being incredible tight lipped about the specifics. Ms. Dearing wouldn't tell me anything other than what Jo had done to save the man's life."

I didn't say anything because there wasn't anything to say. I couldn't confide in Hamada without betraying Jo's confidence. That wasn't something I wasn't willing to sacrifice.

"Things are obviously escalating," he continued. I looked up at him in question. He sighed, rubbing his hands on his face. "She wouldn't elaborate on the nature of the attack, but she did share an interesting bit of information with me."

These dramatic pauses for effect were fucking killing me.

"Get on with it already."

Hamada's eyes narrowed, displeased with my tone. "After she dropped the guy off at the clinic Ms. Dearing asked her to come to her office. For reasons I can only assume, Dr. Wu was there. The two of them had an altercation."

"What kind of altercation?" Any altercation between Jo and Dr. Wu was bound to end up with him in the hospital.

"She choke slammed him into a wall." Yeah, that sounded about right. He was lucky that's all she did. "Ms. Dearing claims she doesn't know what started it. Words were exchanged, and then Jo just let him go and left."

"And an hour later she ends up at the bottom of a cliff," I alleged.

"I don't believe in coincidences."

Me either. Whatever had set Jo off had to do with the I-Rex. Dr. Wu was at the heart of this entire conspiracy. The man may play the role of a meek laboratory scientist, but he was a genuine snake in the weeds. There was no way Jo's "accident" was anything other than deliberate. If Wu felt threatened enough by whatever Jo had discovered he would take whatever means necessary to preserve his diabolical scheme. Too bad I couldn't prove shit. The list of people signing their own death warrant was rapidly expanding.

"You know what's going on. I don't care if you tell me or not. I'm here to do my job and protect my people. Everything else is outside my left and right limits," Hamada started, no accusation in his tone only acceptance. "With that being said, Jo isn't just one of my people, she's family. She saved my life. She could have left me and saved herself, she probably should have, but she didn't. She gave me a chance to go home to my wife and children. I owe her." He paused, looking down at Jo with an unreadable expression. "If I can't do the same for her then I'll do the only thing I can…take vengeance against those responsible. If you find out who did this I want to know."

Hamada was one scary son of a bitch. His tone during the entire speech was monotone, he almost sounded bored, like he was talking about the weather. It was a practiced technique meant to lull people into a false sense of confidence, but it didn't fool me. His body was rigid with tension, his face set in stone, murder reflected in every feature.

The two of us were more alike than I'd ever realized. His hardened exterior was born in the fire of combat, most of it next to the woman lying between us. We were Soldiers to our core, and it wasn't in our nature to let our comrades suffer injustice without retribution. If someone were to threaten our own life we were likely to just sit back and allow karma to work its magic. Threaten the life of someone we loved, and we would _become_ karma.

"You have my word." He nodded once, dropping his eyes back to Jo.

The rest of the ride was made in silence. Each of us holding vigil in our own way. The medic assured us Jo's vitals had stabilized, and this was good news. However, she was far from out of the woods. Let's not forget she still had a six-foot piece of metal stuck in her chest.

I kept her hand firmly locked in my own. The coldness of it scaring the life out of me. Seeing her lying lifeless on the stretcher was my worst nightmare realized. I'd never seen her so still. I hated it. She was always bursting with life, always in motion. Even in her sleep she was unable to sit still, constantly rolling over, talking in her sleep and snoring. I couldn't let myself imagine an outcome other than her making a full recover. I simply didn't have the strength.

One thing was certain, whether Jo lived or died the person who did this would have their day of reckoning. If she lived their penance would be swift and painless, but it would be death nonetheless. The second they'd forced her off the cliff they'd forfeited their life. They were already dead; they just didn't know it yet.

If she didn't make it the world would be a very different place the next time the sun rose. If she died the last piece of my soul that held anything good, any piece of salvation would die with her. I would hunt those responsible down like a dog and make their death so horrific it would make Charles Manson look like Mother Theresa.

From the look on Hamada's face I wouldn't be the only crazy at the party. Evidently there would be a line.

* * *

 **BlueEyedPisces: I'm leaning towards dual POVs for the sequel. I think being able to switch between them will offer something different, and allow us to gain insight we might not otherwise see with a single POV. We shall see. I loved breaking his collarbone, so much fun! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **angelicedg: I loved writing that. I grew up around more guys than girls and I can't tell you how many conversations like that one I've been privy to. Too much fun. This one was intense, hope you liked it! Thanks for sticking with me and taking the time to review :)**

 **thakidisbac: Me too! I love writing them. They might be my favorite imaginary couple, ever :) I hope you liked this one, it's pretty emotional. Thanks for reviewing, it really makes it worth it!**

 **LadyBugQueen421: That's exactly where I was aiming so great! This was chapter is aiming their as well...it's an emotional roller coaster for sure. Let me know if I hit the mark...thanks so much for reading and reviewing!**

 **jahoney: I think so too. It's hilarious to see it from all angles, and there are so many scenes that we didn't see in Jo's story where we just kinda filled in the blanks. It's fun to actually write it. This was a seriously emotional chapter for Owen (and all the other characters), I hope I did it justice. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing. It makes all the difference when someone takes the time to do that :)**


	14. Waiting is the Hardest Part of Life

**Chapter 14 – Waiting is the Hardest Part of Life**

The harsh lights in the clinic waiting room made it hard to keep my eyes open. I could feel a headache building behind my eyes as my temple throbbed in time with their own heartbeat. A persistent buzzing sound coming from the light just over the automatic doors was threatening to shatter my tenuous hold on sanity. This park was a multi-billion dollar operation, was it too much to ask that the lights weren't bright enough to cause blindness and didn't emit the most annoying sound in the world?

Lowery grunted, launching into another round of snoring that sounded like a combination of a seal dying and a chainsaw cutting through cement. I take it back; the buzzing sound was the second most annoying sound in the world.

Closing my eyes I massaged my temples as I rolled my stiff shoulders trying to gain some sort of physical relief from a pain so deeply rooted I felt it in my bones. I'd given up trying for a respite from the mental torment. It had been hours since we'd handed Jo off to the medical team tasked with saving her life. Hours of sitting in a small, metal chair under blaring, fluorescent, buzzing lights with nothing to go on. No update from the surgeon, no reassurance from a nurse. There was just…nothing. I was slowly going insane. I needed to know what was going on.

Something.

Anything.

I couldn't handle another minute of being in limbo. The hollowness in my chest was a weight I couldn't bear. It was pushing down on me from all angles threatening to bury me. Sitting in this waiting room with nothing but my thoughts to distract me was a sadistic kind of torture. Every scenario racing through my exhausted mind got worse and worse as time drug on at an excruciatingly slow pace. The black of midnight had given way to early morning as the sun began peeking over the horizon in the distance. When night had suddenly turned to day I couldn't recall. Somehow the anguish of waiting simultaneously felt like minutes and years ticking by at the same time. The passage of time marked only by the ache in my heart, and the waking nightmares continuously flashing before my eyes.

A cup of coffee was thrust into my field of vision. Leaning back slowly I looked up, blinking several times as the figure before me blurred. Squeezing my eyes closed I rubbed them against the slight burning sensation. Looking back up I saw Barry's familiar frame swim into my vision.

"Here," he said, handing me the cup of coffee, "Drink this before you pass out."

Grabbing the cup I looked down at the dark liquid, the faint aroma of stale coffee tickling my nose. My brain was slow to action, but I knew I needed the cheap caffeine to keep me upright. Chugging the burning liquid in a few swallows caused the bitter substance to scald my tongue. I winced slightly, whipping my mouth as Barry sighed heavily before falling into the seat next to me, nursing his own cup. Crushing the small, Styrofoam cup I tossed it into a nearby trashcan.

"How are you holding up?" he asked. Turning my head I looked blankly at him. The only plausible answer I could come up with involved my middle finger. "Yeah, stupid question. Sorry."

I smiled slightly, returning my gaze to the double doors leading to the operating rooms. Maybe if I just stared hard enough someone would magically appear like in a Harry Potter movie. Lowery shifted in his seat across from me, stretching his legs out as he head fell forward, his chin coming to rest on his chest. His snores were getting progressively louder. Hamada sat beside him still as a statue, looking about as emotional as a cyborg. He appeared to be in some kind of trance, or maybe he was meditating. Whatever he was doing I had no idea how he'd remained motionless for what felt like hours. In all the time we'd been sitting here I remembered him moving exactly once.

Unexpectedly Hamada's hand shot out, smacking Lowery on the back of the head with a 'thwack'. Lowery jerked suddenly as he sat up, his snores ceasing with his arrival back to the land of the conscious.

OK, now I'd seen Hamada move twice.

"What? Huh?" Lowery mumbled, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

He gazed around the room, trying to figure out what had woken him. He looked about as confused as a goat on Astro Turf. His eyes passed over the three of us, his eyebrows raised in question. Barry had his head against the wall, his eyes closed and Hamada was back to impersonating the statue of David, albeit with clothes. Thank god. I shook my head more to keep myself awake than at Lowery's predicament. The guy was as smart as a whip if it involved computers, but he didn't have enough common sense to spit downwind. I could explain it to him, but I couldn't understand it for him.

"Owen Grady?" a voice called out, shattering the near silence in the waiting room. My head snapped up as the surgeon made his way over to us still clad in his pale green scrubs and surgical cap. All four of us stood up at once.

"I'm Owen Grady." I answered, taking a step towards him.

"I'm Dr. Kondrat, your wife's attending surgeon." Barry choked on his coffee as Hamada's eyes narrowed in on me like a laser beam. Lowery still just looked confused

"My wife," I parroted back, shaking his extended hand. Dr. Kondrat looked around the room taking in everyone's shocked expression before continuing.

"I apologize, I just assumed you were family," he stumbled over the words. "Her medical power of attorney has you listed as the agent responsible for making healthcare decisions in an event such as this."

It did? Since when? She'd never said anything.

"Its fine," I assured him. Being mistaken as Jo's husband was an error I was more than willing to overlook. In fact, I was astutely avoiding the feeling of utter elation the title provoked. "How is she?"

His heavy sigh made me want to puke all over the pristine waiting room floor.

"We just moved her into recovery in the ICU. The surgery was quiet extensive given the gravity of her injuries. The metal shard embedded in her upper chest cavity lacerated her spleen causing massive internal hemorrhaging. We were able to repair it, but it required two transfusions due to blood loss and she coded on the table twice."

"Coded?"

"Her heart stopped," he clarified. My knees gave out and I fell into the chair. My heart was beating so fast I felt like I couldn't breathe even though breathing was the only thing I was doing at the moment. Dr. Kondrat sat down in front of me, his eyes softening. "Try to stay calm Mr. Grady. Take a slow breath in through your nose; hold it for a few seconds then release it out through your mouth."

I did as he instructed trying to stop hyperventilating. If I wasn't scared shitless I'd be humiliated that Barry, Lowery and Hamada were witnessing my breakdown, but I was way past the point of appearances. I didn't give two fucks about false pretenses.

Her heart had stopped. Twice.

She'd died. Twice.

I kept repeating the phrases over and over again in my mind hoping to make sense of them.

"That's good Mr. Grady," the doctor praised.

"Owen."

"I'm sorry?"

"You can call me Owen. Mr. Grady is my father."

"Alright Owen," he chuckled, continuing on with Jo's extensive list of injuries, "As I explained, her surgery was difficult, but she's one tough woman. We have her in the ICU and the next 72 hours will be critical. While the laceration of her spleen was the most critical of her injuries we have other matters to concern ourselves with as well."

"Like?" This conversation was about as enjoyable as a prostate exam.

"For the moment I'm concerned about the swelling in her brain. She sustained a Grade 2 concussion which has caused enough trauma I've decided to keep her in a medically induced coma until some of the swelling in her brain subsides."

Yeah, it was official, I was going to puke.

Lacerated spleens, blood transfusions, medically induced comas; it was like something out of a horror flick. I couldn't listen to this. I couldn't hear this man describe these life threatening injuries about the woman who was my life with such clinical detachment. My brain knew he didn't mean to sound callous, but my heart wasn't on the same page. He sounded like he was debating where he was going to eat lunch.

When I didn't respond Barry spoke up, "How long?"

He eyed me critically before turning to Barry. "It's difficult to say. We'll monitor her closely and if things progress in the right direction we may be able to bring her out of the coma in a few days."

"So she's going to be alright?" Barry asked, the hope clear in this voice.

"We're going to do our best to ensure…"

"Will she make it?" I cut him off. I didn't want the runaround. Good or bad, I needed the truth.

He regarded me carefully before pulling off his surgical cap, his lips pulled into a thin line. "If she survives the next 24 hours she got a good chance. Every hour she survives after that her odds improve dramatically, but I have to warn you," he paused, carefully selecting his next words. "Even if she survives the next 24 hours her body has sustained massive trauma. By all medical standards she should never have survived the trip to the clinic. You need to prepare yourself for the possibility that she may never wake up."

"But you said you'd take her out of the coma in a few days."

"We don't know what kind of damage her brain sustained from the crash or the multiple times her heart stopped. There's a chance she suffered irreparable brain damage. If she wakes up we'll know more."

The unspoken declaration that she may never wake up hung in the air like an odor. Everyone looked distraught, unable to process the reality laid at our feet.

I've never been particularly receptive to the status quo. It wasn't necessarily that I was in denial per say. It was more that I was exceptionally selective about the reality I choose to accept. Needless to say this was one reality that could fuck off.

"When she wakes up."

"Pardon?" he asked, confused.

"You said if. Clearly you don't know her. That woman is the most stubborn, tenacious, willful person I know. She'll wake up."

"Amen," Barry said, clapping me on the back in support. Hamada stood up, crossing his arms over his chest almost daring the surgeon to disagree with me. Lowery shook his head in agreement as Dr. Kondrat took in our ragtag group.

"I believe I had it right the first time Owen," he addressed me, standing up. "You are Ms. King's family."

He briefly shook my hand again assuring me he would let the nursing staff know that visiting hours wouldn't apply to us, and that he'd be in to check on Jo later in the day. He made a point of explaining what we could expect when we saw Jo. He was preparing us for the shock of seeing her so incapacitated. Little did I know his warnings wouldn't even begin to touch the level of distress seeing her would cause. Moments after he departed a nurse came out to escort me to the ICU wing.

"Mr. Grady, we just got her settled. I can take you back now if you like?" she smiled, gesturing to the doors behind her.

I nodded at her, turning to the guys. "Why don't ya'll go home, get some rest. I'll stay here with her."

"I'll stop by your place and grab you a bag before I come back," Barry offered.

"Sounds good," I told him, "Thanks, all of you, for being here." I coughed to cover up the emotion in my voice.

"You don't have to thank us," Hamada stated plainly. "She would have done the same for us."

"Damn straight," Barry confirmed.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be," Lowery chimed in at the same time.

They made their way out of the clinic as I fell in step behind the nurse. The walk down the hallway was made in silence. The nurse was busy tapping away on the iPad in her hand while I simply didn't have the brain function to initiate intelligible small talk. It was a minor miracle I was upright and walking. It had been well over 24 hours since I'd slept, and while there was a time pulling all-nighters was commonplace for me that time in my life had long since passed. I had a hard time pulling all-dayers now. Why naps were restricted to children was a mystery? To avoid the ridicule associated with my preference for napping I'd taken to referring to them as horizontal life pauses. They term was really catching on at the raptor paddock.

The nurse stopped at the first ICU door, swinging it open and leading me inside. The room was bare save for a few chairs pushed back against the opposite wall and a small bedside table. The walls were so white they were almost blinding, and the smell of antiseptic and bleach permeated the air. I already hated this room and I hadn't even laid eyes on the worst part. Would it kill someone to bring a color wheel into this place?

The nurse moved towards the single bed pushed up against the wall in the absolute center of the room. She fiddled with some machines and adjusted various knobs on all the medical equipment before she was satisfied then turned to me with another kind smile.

"I'll just be out front. If you need anything push this button," she explained, holding up the red nurse call button attached to the bed. I nodded mutely at her, unable to tear my eyes away from the beds occupant. The nurse moved towards the door, but paused briefly before leaving. "You should talk to her. Hold her hand. It'll help."

From her tone it sounded like she was implying it might help me more than Jo. She left without another word, the door sliding closed with a soft click. Clearing my throat I shuffled over towards the bed, the faint sounds of the heart monitor drawing my attention. I watched with morbid fascination as the small line raced across the screen, jutting up sharply at regular intervals signaling her heartbeat. My eyes flicked back down to the bed and I suddenly found it hard to breathe.

She was lying in bed, thin covers pulled up around her waist and delicately tucked into the edges of the bed. I counted four different lines connected to numerous parts of her body and traced them back to various IV bags filled with medication that were hanging slightly behind her bed. She was intubated, a small plastic tube taped to her mouth to keep it in place, a ventilator breathing for her. Her face was deathly pale, to the point of almost being translucent. The only color present was the blooming black and blue of a massive bruise forming along her temple.

Dragging a chair from the wall I moved it directly beside her bed. Sitting down I cradled her small hand in my own. She was so cold that if the monitors behind me weren't proof she was alive I'd be certain she was dead. She looked small, so fragile it was shocking. I didn't want to see her like this, but at the same time I couldn't look away. The sight of her now a clear reminder of how close she'd come to death. Of how perilous her situation remained.

Gently I laid my head down against her arm, careful not to hurt the multitude of small cuts and scrapes that had been meticulously cleaned. I kissed the back of her hand as a tear slipped down my face. Later I would blame my emotional outburst on exhaustion or stress, but the real cause was much simpler, my heart was breaking.

"The nurse says talking will help," I began, feeling unsure about conversing with a woman in a medically induced coma. I felt ridiculous, but would endure much more than stupidity if it meant Jo opening her eyes. I'd do just about anything if it meant she got better. "I need you to come back to me. If for no other reason than because you are currently sporting a pink colored cast on your wrist."

I laughed, picking my head up to look at the neon pink monstrosity. Taking a second look at it I was fairly certain it was more fuchsia than pink, but I wasn't sure. One thing I was positive about was that it was hideous. It was like they had hand-picked the color in the hopes it would piss her off so much she'd be forced back to the land of the living just to bitch them out. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

"You'd absolutely hate it," I continued, my gaze dropping back to her face, my mood sobering. Swallowing thickly I cleared my throat. "You remember our deal, right? Well, I held up my end of the bargain and now I need you to hold up yours. You can't leave me here Jo, do you hear me? I can't…"

I didn't know what to say. How do you put into words a feeling so all-encompassing the loss of it was too complex to understand? I desperately wanted to trade places with her. My life for hers seemed like a more than fair trade. One I'd make willingly. It wasn't that I couldn't face a world without her. It was that I didn't want to. She deserved the opportunity to live, be happy, and grow old. Life had been too harsh with her up until this point. A little contentment was warranted in my book, and if my life could grant her that chance then so be it. A world devoid of Jo's spirit would turn my universe into one I didn't recognize.

The irony that she would hate the mere insinuation of anyone trading their life for hers wasn't lost on me. What's more, it was irrelevant. The opportunity to switch places with her in order to save her this lot in life had long since passed. In an effort to drag my mind away from such macabre thoughts I focused instead on one of our last conversations.

"Do you remember when we had that rousing discussion about soul mates?" The steady rise and fall of her chest courtesy of the ventilator was my only response. "You were so adamant the entire concept was bullshit. Something manufactured by Hallmark to sell greeting cards and jewelry."

I laughed in earnest remembering her impassioned speech regarding the entire conversation. She abhorred the idea of some mythical predestination that determined two people's course in life. It was all "bullshit derived from corporate greed to sell lonely souls on the idea there was that special someone waiting for them just around the corner" was her exact quote.

It wasn't that she rallied against the idea of love or even everlasting love. It was the concept that a person's choice in the matter was taken from them. The idea that someone would love merely because they had to and not because they wanted to was something she refused to acknowledge. She'd had too many occasions in her life where her choices had taken from her. She refused to believe in a concept that took away her power to decide who she did and did not love.

"I didn't say it then, but I agree with you. Soul mates is an idea best left to fairy tales or those cheesy romance novels with half naked Highlanders on the cover that you think I don't know you read," I smiled at her. "I don't love you because you're my soul mate, you're much more than that. You're the love of my life Josephine King."

I smoothed down the hair on the side of her face, brushing away some errant strands.

"Pay attention to this part because it's important. The difference between the two is one implies choice, the other doesn't. I don't love you out of obligation or responsibility. I choose to love you. Today, tomorrow, forever. I will love you till my dying breath…" I choked on the words, exhaling slowly before finishing, "and if there's life after that, I'll love you then too."

Someone cleared their throat softly, and I turned to see Claire standing uncomfortably by the door. She tucked her hair behind her ear, a faint blush sweeping across her cheeks.

"I'm sorry…I didn't…I mean, I shouldn't have," she stuttered, shifting the vase full of flowers from one hand to the other.

I gave her a half smile, shaking my head. "It's fine. You can put those by the bed if you want."

She smiled sadly, setting the arrangement on the small nightstand. Only Claire would be able to produce such an immaculate 'Get Well' arrangement at the crack of dawn mere hours after the accident. I stood up, grabbing a chair from the wall and dragging it over to the opposite side of the bed. She nodded her thanks, sinking down into the chair. She kept her back ramrod straight, her feet delicately crossed at the ankle and tucked beneath the chair as her hands lay one on top of the other in her lap. And only Claire could look regal sitting in a cheap, metal hospital chair. For a few moments the only sounds filling the room were the machines keeping Jo alive.

"How is she?" Claire asked, her voice nothing more than a whisper. I think she was trying to be quiet for Jo's sake. I wanted to tell her she could drop a nuclear bomb outside and she'd be none the wiser.

Exhaling sharply though my mouth I ran my hands through my hair, rubbing my face harshly with my hands. Idly I wondered how many times I'd have to recount this story. I wished I could gather everyone who I knew would come visit Jo and just knock it out all at once. One shot, one kill so to speak. With emotional detachment I ran through each injury she'd sustained along with the resulting actions to save her, finishing with her prognosis. By the time I was done Claire looked about as bad as Jo. I was a little worried she might puke, and made a not so subtle attempt to move the trashcan in her direction.

"I'm fine," she said, waving her hand at the trashcan. "It's just so…"

"Yeah." She didn't have the words to describe it, and I didn't blame her. I didn't either, but horrific, terrifying, and gut-wrenching were high on my list of contenders. "Hamada said you were with her right before."

She shifted in her seat, eyes darting between Jo and me. "Yes, I asked her to come to my office right after she dropped off Enrique here. Originally, I intended to just make sure I had all the pertinent facts before briefing Mr. Masrani, but…"

"Then Wu joined the party," I supplied when she hesitated.

"Yes," she answered. "I don't even know how he knew what happened, but he insisted on staying while I spoke with Jo."

"What did happen?" I already knew Jo and Wu had ended up arguing, but I wanted to know what had instigated the argument. Claire sighed, unsure of how to have a conversation with me about a project I was supposed to have no idea about.

"Owen," she began, resignation heavy in her tone.

"Claire," I cut her off, "You don't have to go into specifics. Hamada already told me the details are need to know and apparently not a lot of people need to know. With that being said, someone tried to kill her," I paused, letting the statement sink in. "If you think for one minute there is even a remote chance I let that slide you're not as smart as I gave you credit for."

She looked at me seriously, her face giving nothing away. If Claire's career at Jurassic World tanked she could make a fortune as a professional poker player.

"You think someone did this intentionally?" Her tone was meant to imply she was shocked, but the disgust in her eyes was clear as day. She didn't believe for a second this was an accident either. My guess was she found the concept of her employees trying to kill each hard to wrap her brain around.

I gave her a dull look by way of a reply, not even bothering to answer her question as I asked a question of my own, "Do you know what set her off?"

"Jo has a different opinion on a park matter than upper management," she started, taking care with the selection of each word. Claire made CIA operatives look like Chatty Cathy's. "She was voicing her displeasure, again, when she suddenly stopped. One minute she was describing what happened with Enrique, and then she just stopped. She looked almost shocked for about a second before she attacked Dr. Wu. The last thing she said before she left was that he was done. I don't have any idea what happened and it was over as quickly as it started."

I believed Claire was ignorant regarding the details surrounding the altercation between Dr. Wu and Jo. She knew about the I-Rex, and was well aware of Jo's displeasure that the animal was still alive, but that was about all she knew. Like everyone, except maybe Dr. Wu, the specifics of the I-Rex were largely unknown. We'd been speculating for weeks about the DNA composition of the animal, but so far all we had was speculation. The smart money said whatever transpired last night between Wu and Jo dealt directly with the genetics of that hybrid. Something had flipped a switch in Jo's head, and she must have been a little too close to the truth for Wu's liking, thus her unscheduled trip off Parador Cliff.

"Can anyone account for Wu's whereabouts directly following the incident?" That slimy mother fucker was responsible for this, I was certain of it.

"Owen," she started, her eyes begging me not to continue. I crossed my arms over my chest, my lips pressed into a thin line. The chances of me letting this go was somewhere in the vicinity of "never going to fucking happen" and "cold chance in hell". Claire's jaw snapped shut, her eyes fiery with indignation. "He was seen on cameras at headquarters until around 11 o'clock at night."

"You're sure? He was accounted for the entire time?"

"Yes, I checked. He never ventured to any area that didn't have direct camera access."

Well, wasn't that fucking convenient. I paused, my eyes narrowing as numerous thoughts raced through my brain at once.

"He was ensuring there was evidence to prove he wasn't involved," I pondered out loud. Claire grimaced, shaking her head. "He was establishing an alibi."

She frowned; obviously distressed at the direction the conversation was taking.

"There's no evidence to support Dr. Wu was involved in her accident. There's no evidence to suggest any of this was anything other than an accident." Claire, always so analytical, always believing the best in everyone. Up until now Claire had been relatively sheltered from the harsh realities of human nature, but the longer she remained on this island the more she realized her perception of the world was definitely not the reality. Even to her own ears the justification must have sounded thin because she looked almost pained saying it.

"You mean other than the impact marks on her Jeep?" Jo's vehicle was a mangled mess of steel, but there was obvious paint transfer from another car on the passenger side door that had nothing to do with the cliff. That, combined with the size and shape of the crush damage, clearly indicated another vehicle had crashed into her.

"I see."

We lapsed into silence, both wrestling with our thoughts. Obviously Wu hadn't been the one to collide with Jo. That much was obvious by his deliberate attempts to be caught on the security cameras. It didn't mean shit as far as I was concerned. He wasn't a man who liked to get his hands dirty. He didn't have the stomach for it. Most likely he'd contracted the work out to someone he trusted inside InGen. Too bad the list of people who would line up for the chance to fling Jo off a cliff was as long as a kids Christmas List to Santa.

"I'm happy for you," Claire said.

"What?"

She smiled gently, gesturing to Jo. "You two are great together. When I first heard about it I was surprised," she began, laughing at the incredulous look on my face. "Hear me out. You both seem so closed off, confrontational, almost hostile most of the time. The thought of the two of you together," she laughed again, "I thought it would be like watching someone try to mix hydrogen and oxygen together in an oven."

A volatile chemical reaction, yeah, I could see that. I grinned at her as she continued.

"But then I saw the two of you at the gala." There was wistfulness in her voice. Like the thought of it made her happy. "You both looked so happy together, so at ease. Well, at least until you both came back from your extended stay in the bathroom."

I laughed in earnest at that. If Claire only knew what had really preceded the events leading up to our sexually charged hallway action she'd be mad enough to spit nails, if not press charges.

"I saw the look on your face when you first saw her that night," she went on. She wasn't looking at me. Her eyes were trained on Jo, unshed tears glistening in her eyes. "She literally took your breath away. I'm not one for romantic gestures. It's simply not in my nature."

I smirked at her. You don't say?

"Shut up," she whipped back at me, no real malice in her voice. Hearing her use such a pedestrian phrase was shocking. Claire was always the picture of professionalism. I was reminded that underneath her coifed suits and perfect hair there was a person. She paused for so long I thought she might be finished, but she sighed before continuing, "I hope one day someone looks at me the way you look at her, even if it's just for a moment."

I didn't know what to say. The longing in her voice was unmistakable. She took one last lingering look at Jo before standing up and moving to the door.

"Claire," I started, the right words stalling on my lips.

She paused, turning back. "I really hope she's OK. You'll call my office if there's any change?"

"Sure."

Without another word she left, quietly closing the door behind her. Leaning back in the chair I stretched my legs out underneath the bed, checking the monitors one last time before my eyes fell shut. The drain of exhaustion something I could no longer fight. I welcomed the blissful unawareness that only sleep could provide, but my mind refused to power down. Too many unknowns were swirling in my head. The doctor had said the next 24 hours were crucial for Jo, but they were also critical in the hunt for those responsible. Every second that passed was another second the trail went cold. If I wanted those responsible to face the consequences of their actions then I needed more information to go on. The persistent beep of the heart monitor was a stark reminder that the man hunt would have to wait, especially considering I had little more to go on than gut instinct.

At the moment my only concern was Jo. She was balancing precariously on the precipice between life and death. The fact that all I could do was wait to see how it played out was brutally unkind. I hated waiting, always had. I didn't know what was worse, waiting, or maintaining any semblance of hope while waiting. As I drifted off I realized the normal tingle of unease that accompanied my aversion to patience was noticeably absent.

The difference struck me like a physical blow. Until now I'd never had anything worth waiting for. My last coherent thought was that if waiting meant being able to hold Jo I was prepared to wait for as long as forever.

* * *

 **LynxOnSmoothies: Welcome Back! I feel your pain with regards to school. I had 3 kids under the age of 1 when I began my advanced degree program. I'm pretty sure I didn't sleep for about 3 years. Good Luck with is all. I hope it is fast and painless :) Thanks for carving out some time your obviously hectic schedule to not only read, but review. You are awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed the latest chapters. I think you are right on the money with Owen having Jo all figured out. She likes to think she's mysterious, but Owen has her number...for sure! Writing the "accident" from Owen's perspective has opened up so many doors I didn't even realize were there. You are right that with Jo we don't see too much before she's off in Never Never Land. Being able to flush the chapters out from Owen's POV has provided the opportunity to fill in some much needed details, and push the story a little further. I don't want to spoil anything, but there is a lot that happens before Jo makes her return. Again, much love for reading/reviewing. We missed you!  
**

 **jahoney: I've always loved that F. Scott Fitzgerald quote. I find it shockingly accurate. I'm so glad you enjoyed all the nuances of the chapter, characters, plot. Thanks for taking the time to leave such thoughtful reviews. I'm trying get better each chapter so to hear it is progressing is great.**

 **thakidisbac: You know, I didn't realize how emotional these chapters really were until I wrote them from Jo's POV. Maybe it's because by the time Jo knows what is happening she's unconscious. Writing it from Owen's POV has forced me to inject so much emotion not just for him, but all the supporting characters as well. It's kinda fun to keep developing the story. There is so much that happened while Jo was out of it that she is unaware of so it leaves my options open. Yeah! Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

 **BlueEyedPisces: Had to get the Cowboys in...our year is coming (LOL!). I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Dr. Wu is a sneaky little bugger, but there is a storm brewing he may not see coming (named Owen). I have some ideas to take the story a few places before Jo makes her triumphant return. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.**

 **Infernoinside: Welcome! Thanks for such a great compliment. I am over the moon you are enjoying the story. I plan to start the sequel soon as it won't be too much longer before this one is finished. I hope you continue to read...thanks for the review!**

 **CopperMax: If I could do a cartwheel I'd do one for your review. As it is you'll have to settle for a big smile and a fist pump :) I love writing these two so much. I almost wish they were both mine so I could continue writing them in another setting. I am so glad you like the story, and taking the time to review means a lot. It keeps me going and helps me strive to write something that will touch you guys. Hope this one hits the mark!**

 **Kassandra J: I agree with you 100%. These last few chapters have been tough. I didn't know how tough until I started writing it from Owen's POV. I hope you enjoy the supporting chapters that give us some more details on what was happening while Jo was fighting for her life. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **twifan1987: Me too! I'm really leaning that way and have even started thinking about whose POV would be used for which chapter. So much fun! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!**

 **angelicedg: Man, me too! That guy is just bubbling with insight. He's like Yoda, Confucius and a Ninja all rolled into one. Love writing from his POV now that I've gotten the hang of it. Let me know what you think of this chapter...I hope you like it :)**


	15. Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

**Chapter 15 – Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold**

"Hey man." I jolted awake in the chair, my neck and back protesting the awkward sleeping position. Groaning from exhaustion I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees as I ran my fingers through my hair. "You slept in that?"

"Yeah," I answered Barry. My aching joints protested as I got up slowly, stretching slowly trying to find some relief. Walking over to the window I noticed the sun was overhead, shining bright, and the street was awash with activity. "What time is it?"

"A little after four," Barry answered, dropping a small bag in the corner of the room and placing a candy bouquet on the nightstand. The man knew the way to Jo's heart. "Grabbed you the essentials, should be enough for a few days. If you need anything else just let me know."

Nodding at him I said, "Thanks, I appreciate it."

"No problem. Just don't expect me to dig through your underwear drawer. Friendship only goes so far," he smiled.

I turned around to face him, smirking. "No underwear drawer to dig through buddy. Commando is the only way to go."

Barry grimaced, "I did not need to know that."

"It's perfectly natural, healthy even. Giving the boys some air to breathe," I continued despite his horrified expression.

"I'm going to need to wash my brain out with bleach now. There are some things you can't unhear man." I laughed as Barry approached Jo's bed. "Any change?"

Sighing I answered, "No, which the doctor assures me is a good thing." Dr. Kondrat had been in a few hours ago to check on her progress, and had been encouraged by her unchanged state. The progress being she'd survived the night. I had a harder time summoning the same joy.

"Baby steps man," Barry assured me. "At least she's still fighting. Remember what the man said, every hour she survives past the initial 24 her chances improve dramatically."

I got the distinct impression Barry was reciting the doctors initial prognosis more for himself than for my benefit. We were steadily approaching the invisible line in the sand, aka the 24 hours mark, and it appeared everyone was expecting some kind of miracle improvement at the exact moment we crossed the hour threshold. The doctor had ensured my expectations were rooted more firmly on the "reality" side of the fence this morning when he'd stopped by. There would be no miracle recovery. The best we could hope for was the swelling in her brain continued to subside, and in a few days we'd be able to take her off the ventilator. Between that and the ever-present threat of brain damage we were far from out of the woods.

A loud bang drew our attention to the door. My eyes must be deceiving me or I was more tired than I realized because through the window on the door I saw what looked like a giant teddy bear. The huge stuffed bear fiddled with the door handle for a few more seconds before it opened abruptly. The door swung open with force, banging against the doorstop on the wall a few times before coming to a halt. Barry and I exchanged a look as Lowery half walked, half tripped into the room trying to maneuver the teddy bear.

It was easily two or three inches taller than he was, and was sporting matching 70's inspired head and wrist bands. The entire bear was dark brown with a stupid looking smile stitched onto its massive face. The piece de resistance was the vintage replica Jurassic Park T-shirt it was wearing with the phrase 'Run like a T-Rex is Chasing You' scrawled across the front. My mother used to say that gifts should always possess two important characteristics – they should be classy and fabulous. While I understood these two characteristics were at the discretion of the gift giver the monstrosity Lowery was currently tugging into the corner was tacky and appalling no matter who the fuck was looking at it.

Kinda like Lowery.

"Uh," Barry stuttered, unable to tear his gaze away from the life-sized bear.

Lowery gave one final grunt, positioning the bear directly in the corner facing towards Jo's bed. If she ever did come out of this coma she was going to end up right back in one if this was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. This thing was like a Chucky doll on steroids.

"Its great right," Lowery beamed, taking in the gift. "They ordered them for the annual memorial run, but there was some kind of mix-up or misunderstanding. I'm not really sure, but they're practically giving them away now to clear room in the warehouse. Isn't it cool?"

Misunderstanding was putting it mildly. Whoever had approved this idea was probably in the unemployment line on the mainland trying to earn enough money for a plane ticket back stateside. Even if you ignored the incredible offensive T-shirt (which let's be honest, no one could ever do) how in god's green earth did anyone think a life-sized teddy bear was a viable gift idea? A hundred percent of the people who visited this park would have to take multiple planes and a boat to get there. How the hell were they supposed to get that thing home? Not to mention a hamburger cost $15 at this place. That bear probably came in at around $300, and that was before you had to buy the thing its own plane ticket to get it home.

"There are no words," I told him, shaking my head.

"I know, right!" The poor guy was completely oblivious. He was brimming with pride and happiness over the bear. Pinching the bridge of my nose I tried in vain to fight off the beginnings of another headache.

"It's the thought that counts," Barry offered, unable to keep the shit-eating grin off his face. Easy for him to say, he wasn't going to have a bear the size of a Volkswagen living at his house. That thing was the stuff of nightmares. It would probably come to life at night and try to murder me.

"In that case, I'd be forever grateful if you could keep this at your house for the time being." That whipped the smirk right off his face.

"So, Ms. Dearing pulled me aside earlier. She asked me to do some digging," Lowery said changing the subject. He moved toward the small desk at the foot of the bed, hoisting up his computer case and unloaded a laptop.

"Some digging?" I repeated. "Into what exactly?"

Lowery opened the laptop, clicking on a few buttons before turning his attention back to us. "She wasn't specific except for that she wanted me to take a look at Dr. Wu's and see if anything seemed off."

That was very unlike Claire. She wasn't vague, she was never cryptic. She was so straightforward it was shocking. We'd already established Dr. Wu wasn't the one behind the wheel of the car that had crashed into Jo, and the last I'd talked to her she was having a difficult time processing any scenario where her someone would do this intentionally. Something had obviously changed her mind.

"Did you find anything?" Barry asked, moving to stand behind Lowery.

"Well, I started out verifying Dr. Wu never left headquarters. No offense to whoever checked before, but it's not out of the realm of possibility the tapes were altered," Lowery started, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "But, after reviewing the footage I can say with 100% certainty that none of the recordings have been tampered with."

"So, we're nowhere," I responded bitterly. I was trying to keep my disappointment in check.

"I didn't say that," Lowery answered. "Once they cleared Dr. Wu everyone just made the leap that what happened to Jo was a genuine accident. No one looked any deeper. I'd sooner believe the I-Rex was a good idea than Jo going over that cliff was an accident."

Barry and I shook our heads in agreement, but I was still at a loss as to where this was going. Wu had an iron clad alibi.

"I started checking the security footage at the motor pools that house the corporate Jeeps hoping to catch whoever did this on tape," he began, fingers still typing furiously. "But, with the amount of traffic in an out of those places every day and no date range to narrow the search it could take weeks to find something."

"And that's assuming there's even something there to find," Barry added. "It's possible the Jeep wasn't one maintained and tracked by the park."

"Exactly," Lowery spoke excitedly. I was having a hard time understanding his excitement because from what I can tell he was batting an abysmal 0 for 2 in the hunt for who hurt Jo. "I decided the best approach was to take a look at InGen's flight reports."

I take it all back; the man was a goddamn genius.

"The flight reports?" Barry puzzled, clearly not seeing the connection.

"Fucking brilliant," I muttered, already moving to where I could see the laptop screen. Lowery faltered a bit at my praise then smiled awkwardly.

Barry continued to look between the two of us, his displeasure clear. "Any time either of you want to fill me in would be great," he said sourly.

"Whoever is behind this had to get here somehow," Lowery began. "The smart money says they were flown in on InGen's private jet. The regular channels for bringing employees on and off the island are strictly monitored, and reviewed daily. There's no way they could hope to sneak someone on the island undetected that way."

My blood began to hum through my veins in anticipation. We were so close I could taste it. The need for vengeance was so strong it was suffocating me. All I needed was a name.

"So I did a little unauthorized research to see what I could find." One man's unauthorized research was another man's felony offense. When I'd first met Lowery he was filing a report complaining about employees who failed to prominently display their ID badges at work, and now here he was hacking corporate files all by himself. Our little boy was growing up. "Narrowing down the date to begin the search was a little more difficult. In the end, I decided to start with Jo's officially inclusion into the I-Rex project and work my way back if necessary. My guess was everything that happened last night was just the straw that broke the camel's back. Simon's insistence that she be formally involved with the project was most likely a huge red flag for InGen."

He tapped a few more keys on the laptop before opening up a log sheet for the small airport on the north side of the island. It was normally reserved for emergencies, supply runs or for VIPs who had enough money for a private jet and no time for normal transportation methods.

"You think they brought someone in to do this?" Barry asked. This was sounding more and more like a Godfather movie.

"It's the easiest way to ensure their hands stay clean," I answered absently, thinking it through. "The obvious suspects made sure they had an iron clad alibi to avoid suspicion."

We all knew Wu hadn't left HQ, and Hoskins was conveniently off the island prior to the incident. As the two people with the most visible and violent history with Jo they must have known everyone would take a hard look at them.

Lowery nodded, pointing to his screen. "Right, so our guy has to be on this list. I narrowed it down to 10 potential suspects, but I haven't had time to run background or do any kind of analysis to see if they fit the bill."

"Read me the names," I told him. Checking the records, backgrounds and history of 10 people could take days. Plus, our resident profiler was currently in a coma.

"Jalen Mosley," he started, pausing to look at me. Shaking my head he looked back to the list and continued, "Brad LaFonte."

Another no.

"Gerald Parkings."

No.

"Cole Rogers."

The temperature in the room plummeted 10 degrees, my head snapping around to Lowery.

"What did you say?"

"Uh, Cole Rogers. He arrived on the island two days after Jo was officially read into the program."

I snapped my jaw shut, the muscles in my body coiled to strike. I knew I should have taken care of him when I had the chance.

"I take it you know the name," Barry interjected, sensing my deteriorating control.

Swallowing hard I raked my teeth over my lips in a sneer, "Yeah, I know him." Rolling my shoulders I took a few measured breaths, willing myself to stay calm and think. It was a tall order when every instinct I possessed was screaming at me to find Cole and obliterate him. "He was recruited by InGen as a potential ACU employee. He washed out after Jo dislocated his elbow."

"Holy shit."

"That's the guy?"

Barry and Lowery said at the same time. Turning sharply I began pacing back and forth across the room.

"Is he still on the island?" I asked Lowery, continuing to pace.

A few clicks later Lowery answered, "Yes, he's scheduled to leave…" Pausing, I turned to look at him expectantly. "Tonight," he answered softly.

Oh, over my dead, decapitated body. Moving swiftly to the nightstand I retrieved my cell phone before turning to Barry and Lowery.

"Can one of you stay with her?" I asked. I didn't care who it was as long as someone was here.

"Owen wait, we need a plan," Barry tried, but I quickly raised my hand silencing any further objections.

"Don't," I told him. "Don't even try it. He's going to pay for what he's done. I'm not letting him leave."

Barry moved swiftly towards me, narrowing his eyes. "So what then, you're just going to go Justice League on him? Don't be stupid. You do this and you're likely to end up in a Costa Rican jail for the rest of your life. You think Jo would want that?"

I hesitated for a beat and Lowery beat me to the punch, stating the obvious, "I think whatever Owen's planning will be mild in comparison to whatever Jo would unleash."

Cole was lucky it was me coming for him.

Barry glowered at Lowery who simply shrugged in return. "Be that as it may I don't think running off halfcocked is good idea."

"I have a plan," I told him sternly. Well, I had part of a plan. A journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step, right? Baby steps. "Will you stay with her?"

Barry paused, defeat clear on his face. "Yes."

"You'll call me if anything changes. Good or bad."

"Of course."

Turning back to the door I swung it open. Before I could make it out Lowery called out, "What's your plan?"

Stopping briefly I called out over my shoulder, "I'm calling Hamada."

I heard Barry mutter, "Oh shit" as the door clicked closed. By the time I made it back to my bungalow Hamada was already there, standing beside his Jeep with his arms crossed. He was dressed head to toe in black, complete with a black hat and sunglasses. I counted four weapons on him, and those were just the ones I could see. He looked capable of invading a small country by himself.

"You didn't waste any time," I called out to him, stepping out of the Jeep.

He shrugged, "The guy's scheduled to leave in a few hours. I figured time was of the essence."

"Gimme five to change and then we'll head out." He nodded, pulling his phone out. Jogging quickly inside I made my way into my bedroom. Opening the closet I reached for the black bag sitting on the top shelf. It had been years since I'd opened this thing, and truth be told I never thought there'd be a need to open it ever again. I was a civilian. I'd left the Navy behind when I'd accepted the job at Jurassic World, but the events of the last few hours had dragged me back into a violent world.

Unzipping the bag I pulled out a black, nylon combat shirt and a pair of black BDU pants. Digging down to the bottom of the back I pulled out a pair of well-worn, black combat boots. It took me less than five minutes to shed my clothes and dawn the combat military uniform. Sitting down on my bed I laced up my boots, taking care to tuck the bottom of my BDU pants into the boots. Standing up and walking towards the door I slide my Oakley assault gloves on as I left my bungalow.

Hamada was right where I'd left him, leaning casually against the Jeep plotting mayhem and murder. Not necessarily in that order. Once he saw me he turned, reaching into the back of his Jeep and pulling out a tactical vest, complete with a leg holster and a .40 caliber Glock. No one can ever say Hamada came unprepared.

"Is this going to cause problems for you?" I asked, pulling the vest over my head and adhering the Velcro at my waist. I clipped on the leg holster, sliding the Glock out of the holster. Quickly I ejected the magazine out and pulled the slide back, checking the weapon. It was already loaded so I slide the magazine back into the weapon, ensuring the safety was still engaged before placing it back in the holster.

"Maybe," Hamada answered carelessly. The guy had a set of stones on him the size of wrecking balls. "That weapon is registered to me so I didn't have to worry about signing out another firearm. Also makes our trail a little less visible if this doesn't work out the way we want."

And it had the added bonus of making this look a little less premeditated.

"How exactly do we want this to work out?" I walked around to my own Jeep, sliding into the driver side. Hamada was insistent we take two vehicles, and I didn't have the time or mental capacity to figure out why.

He regarded me carefully, tilting his head to side. "We hope he corporates and we take him in. He'll answer for what he's done, and if we're lucky he'll roll on his source inside InGen." He climbed into his Jeep, the engine starting with a roar.

"And if he doesn't corporate?"

I was keeping my fingers crossed he didn't corporate. It wasn't that I'm an inherently violent guy. Far from it. I'm normally calm, collected, some would say laid-back, but Cole had threatened to take away the one thing in this world that mattered most to me. Any hesitation I had went out the door when I'd seen Jo in the ICU. Some people question whether love is worth fighting for, but when I remember her lying there, fragile and broken, I knew it was the only thing worth fighting for. All I had to do was remember her face and I was ready for war.

Hamada glanced at me briefly before putting the Jeep in drive. "Then he dies," he answered matter-of-factly.

I could live with that.

It took about an hour to make our way to the airport at the northern tip of the island. Simon had carved out a small and inconspicuous landing strip hidden behind what was currently an inactive volcano. It was a pretty ingenious set up. It allowed him to ferry himself and other VIPs on and off the island without drawing attention from parks visitors. Nothing pissed normal people off like seeing rich people disembark from a private plane with champagne in hand when they'd spent the better part of two days catching connecting flights and being crammed like sardines on an overcrowded ferry.

The journey was slow going since we were forced to take back roads that amounted to little more than glorified paths through the jungle. Other than the occasional worker making their way out to assist with a landing or handling routine maintenance no one ventured to the airport on a regular basis. The 1% who were special enough to use this airport were transferred to the main park via helicopter. The good news for us was there was little chance of anyone seeing our approach.

It had occurred to me on the journey out there that if things went south with Cole then our goal of remaining covert would fly out the window. Since Hamada isn't one to leave any stone unturned he was ready with a plausible reason for being at the airport. Unauthorized departure of an aircraft was right up the head of ACUs alley in terms of ensuring park safety. I had to hand it to the guy, he definitely had his shit together. Note to self, never get on Hamada's bad side. The guy could bury you in an unmarked grave and still make it home in time for dinner. Scary.

We approached the airport from the West since it was sparsely populated, especially the closer you got to the coast. The Eastern route was more conducive to travel, but it also took us dangerously close the raptor paddock. With all the personnel and activity brimming at that location each day it would have been near impossible to ensure we went unseen.

We parked our Jeeps in the dense jungle cover, careful to make sure they couldn't be seen before breaking the perimeter of the jungle, walking the rest of the way to our vantage point on foot. We took cover on a small hill overlooking the airport. From our position we had a clear view of the small terminal, the air traffic control tower, and the three small hangers all located on site. There was a leer jet prepped and awaiting departure on the runway.

Looking through the binoculars I scanned the plane. "Tail number matches the one on record to transport Cole," I told Hamada, handing him the binoculars. He took them, confirming the number and scanning the surrounding area.

"I don't see anyone else on site except for the pilot," he said. "We'll split up. You work your way to the front of the terminal and try to intercept Cole before he goes in. I'll move towards the plane and make sure the pilot is taken care of."

I glanced to him, eyebrows raised. "Taken care of?"

I was all for putting Cole in a hurt locker, but the pilot was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Calm down Nancy," he chided, shaking his head. "I'm just going to get him to power down the plane, and then make sure he understands it would be in his best interest to stay in the cockpit no matter what he hears."

"I'm sure that will inspire him with confidence."

"If you don't like that plan I can knock him out and zip tie him to the steering wheel." I was 90% sure he was kidding. I looked at him trying to get a read on him. His face was completely impassive as he waited for me to make a decision.

OK, I was 80% sure he was kidding.

"Yeah, I think we'll go with option one," I said. The less people who were bleeding by the end of this the better.

"That's what I thought."

Jeez, and people think I have a tendency towards violence. Compared to Hamada I looked like a pacifist.

With our "plan" in place we split up. Hamada moving down the runway towards the plan as I circled back the opposite direction towards the doors leading into the small terminal. Creeping slowly through the jungle I made my way towards the building. The setting sun on the horizon did little to help with the oppressive heat and humidity. Sweat was rolling down my face, drenching my shirt. Hearing a distance rumble and the crunch of gravel I paused, crouching behind a tree. A Jeep pulled up to the terminal building, parking haphazardly as if the occupant was in a rush. A few seconds later Cole hopped out of the vehicle, grabbing a small bag from the backseat, slinging it over his shoulder.

He looked every bit the asshole I remembered, and I felt a small smirk tug at my lips when I noticed how he favored his right arm. There was a small binding warped around the joint to protect it, limiting mobility and offering a small measure of support. The injury couldn't have healed completely yet, and if the way he tucked it close to his body for protection was anything to go by it was far from 100%. I hoped it still hurt like hell.

Moving quickly from behind the tree I made my way towards him, careful to stay behind him. I pulled my Glock from the holster, training it on his chest.

When I was five feet away I called out, "Hey Cole, long time no see." Abruptly he stopped, turning around slowly to face me. I gave him a sarcastic smile. "You don't call, you don't write. Keep this up and I'll think you don't like me."

His eyes flicked down to the gun then back up to my face. He dropped his bag by his feet, keeping his hands at chest level. I could see the slight wince in his face as his elbow protested the movement.

"Owen Grady," he sneered, a seriously freaky grin plaster on his serial killer face. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He paused dramatically, pretending to consider all the reasons I would be here pointing a weapon at him. "Let me guess, you're here because your little pet wasn't able to make the trip herself."

Clenching my jaw I wrapped my finger slowly around the trigger. I knew he was baiting me, but this was one button he shouldn't push. My control was hanging precariously by a thread. A smart man would keep his mouth shut. Too bad Cole didn't have two brain cells to rub together.

Cole laughed menacingly before continuing, "I heard about her accident. So unfortunate. I was devastated to hear of her passing."

Obviously Cole hadn't stuck around to make sure he completed the job he'd been hired to do, and Wu wasn't interested in keeping him in the loop.

"Seems to me someone isn't privy to inside information?" I taunted. "Since you're still in the dark on this one I'll fill you in. Turns out you're as stupid as you are incompetent." His face contorted in confusion and I couldn't help the smug expression on my face. "Makes sense, you're expendable. Just the hired help."

"What are you talking about?" I saw Hamada exit the terminal, slowly stalking towards Cole, his weapon raise and ready.

"If you'd bother to stick around after you pushed her off that cliff you would have known the fall didn't kill her." His eyes narrowed, obviously unable to believe anyone could survive such a horrific accident. "She's tougher than you can imagine asshole. The doctors say she'll make a full recovery. I would hope for your sake you have a rock to hide under because they'll be no stopping her once she finds out you were involved."

He scoffed, "You're lying." It didn't escape my attention that he hadn't even bothered trying to deny my accusation.

"Am I?" I challenged. "When are you going to stop underestimating her?" I glanced briefly at his wounded elbow, raising my eyebrows meaningfully. "Bet that hurts like a bitch when it rains, huh?"

Instinctively he drew his elbow in closer. The look on his face was downright murderous.

"Why don't you do yourself a favor and tell us who hired you. If you think for one second they won't hang you out to dry you're delusional," I told him, glancing quickly at Hamada. Cole followed my eyes, looking behind him.

"Fuck you," was Cole's answer, his head turning back to me. The truth was a hard pill for him to swallow. Good, I hoped the fucker choked on it.

"Whatever man, we can do this the hard way. In fact, I'd prefer it," I said. "You look like a man who'd last all of one night in jail before he was begging to tell someone his story."

Hamada had continued to move forward and was now standing off to my left, his eyes focused on Cole with a single-minded determination.

"You can't do shit to me. You're just a fucking animal trainer. You shouldn't even be here. I'm not scared of your pathetic threats." The quiver in his voice said otherwise.

"Be that as it may fucktard, I'm ACU. I have every right to be here," Hamada said coolly. "In fact, an unscheduled departure from the island's private airport is a serious breach of security protocol."

If Cole looked rattled before he looked damn near ready to shit his pants now.

"Now, why don't you place your hands on the back of your head and interlace your fingers," Hamada finished.

Cole grimaced, his gaze darting between the two of us, a maniacal look in his eyes. He saw no way out, and despite his declarations otherwise he knew we were telling the truth. He was out of time and options. Without warning his expression changed from one of apprehension to acceptance. His lips curled up in a nasty smirk as he focused all his attention on me.

"I hope they kill that bitch," he hissed.

"Cole…" I warned.

I never got to finish my sentence as he quickly reached behind him, pulling a pistol from under his shirt at the small of his back. Hamada shouted a warning, but I was already firing, delivering two shots center mass. Hamada fired off a round of his own, and Cole lurched backwards, the weapon falling from his grasp. He was dead before he hit the ground, his white T-shirt already soaked in blood. Moving forward I kept my weapon trained on Cole as I kicked the gun away from his prone form. Hamada bent down, checking for a pulse before standing up.

"Guess he preferred the hard way," he said. I shook my head at him; the guy was a little off sometimes.

"Now what?" I asked.

I felt zero guilt about the dead guy lying at my feet, and I knew that was probably a bad thing. Problem was I just couldn't find it in me to care. What I did care about was figuring out how we explained this mess without either of us ending up in the jail cell we'd threatened Cole with earlier.

Hamada didn't answer. Instead he walked past me partially into the jungle, and fired off two rounds into a densely packed set of bushes. He then proceeded to pick up his shell casings, pocketing them as he walked back over to me.

"You'll make your way back to your Jeep," he instructed. "Make sure you leave all the gear and the weapon in my vehicle before you leave. I'll give you about half an hour to clear the area then I'm calling this in. Stick to the route we used to come up here, and you shouldn't run into anyone."

"And you're just gonna stay here and explain all this?" I wasn't too excited about having to explain Cole's dead body, but that didn't mean I wanted to pin it all on Hamada.

He shrugged casually. "Not much to explain. I was alerted to the fact we had an unauthorized plane at the airport awaiting departure, I drove out here to check it out, found Cole who was resistant to my attempts to bring him back to headquarters."

Resistant was one way of putting it.

"The weapon you fired is an exactly replica of the one I carry. The ballistics will match, and they'll assume all the shots were fired from the same weapon since both weapons are .40 caliber," he continued.

This explained the need for him to fire off two additional rounds into a hydrangea. Cole had three bullet holes in his chest. It was only logical that Hamada's weapon be missing three rounds.

"Cole has a history of mentally instability, and he shouldn't be here in the first place. No one's going to dig deep on this one," he finished.

How to Get Away with Murder by Katashi Hamada.

"And no one will know he's the one who tried to kill Jo," I stated. We may be able to avoid legal entanglements with shooting Cole, but it also meant we had no more leads. "We're gonna need a séance to pin anything on Wu," I gestured towards Cole.

Hamada looked briefly at Cole. "Then we find another way."

Oh, was that all? Good, I thought it was going to be a challenge. We both stood quietly, absorbing the situation.

"Worst case scenario I can scrounge up a Ouija Board."

My eyes snapped to him in shock. "Did you just make a joke?" As far as I knew Hamada possessed no sense of humor whatsoever.

"Maybe," he said nonchalantly.

I laughed, walking past him in the direction we had left our Jeeps, but stopped, turning back to ask one more time, "You're sure you want to do this?"

"He may have been a fucking imbecile, but he was right about one thing," he told me, "You can't be here. Not without raising the kinds of questions I'd just as soon avoid."

Solid point.

"Thanks Hamada."

"You're welcome, but I didn't do it for you," he answered. And here I was thinking we were having a moment.

"Nevertheless, I appreciate it and I know Jo would too."

He nodded, and I continued my trek back to my vehicle. My nerves were frayed, and I was more than a little anxious to get back to the clinic. I checked my phone, not seeing any updates from either Barry or Lowery so at least Jo's condition hadn't worsened. On the flip side it also meant she wasn't better either. Barry and Lowery were going to flip when I told them about Cole. They didn't do too well with dead bodies. The walk back to the Jeep gave me plenty of time to think, a fact I wasn't exactly thrilled with.

It had been a long time since I'd felt like I did now. The adrenaline high from earlier was fading quickly, and I was left with the stinging reality of what I'd done. It seemed like another life where things like today had been as common for me as going to the grocery store or filling your car up with gas. I'd purposely distanced myself from that life because it had nurtured darkness inside of me that I was unable to quell. I was terrified today would dredge up feelings, emotions, and behaviors I'd fought hard to suppress.

I was shocked to discover as I walked slowly away from the airport that I had nothing but love in my heart. I wasn't ashamed of what I'd done in defense of my country, and I wasn't ashamed that I'd done what I'd needed to today. The only difference between the two was the initial motivation behind each action. The lives I'd taken in the Navy were born from a place of injustice or hostility against my country. While the actions we'd taken were justified, the feelings of anger and savagery they leave behind in those tasked to carry out the orders were inevitable.

This time my actions had grown not from a place of aggression, but from a place of love and a future filled with hope. It made all the difference in world in terms of the emotions left in the wake. I knew I'd killed a man today, and the taking of any life was no small thing, but he'd left me no other choice. I had offered him a chance at redemption, but he'd chosen a body bag instead.

I felt no remorse or guilt. There was no end to the lengths I would go for justice. Especially when it concerned the woman I loved.

One battle fought, one battle won.

We still had ways to go to win the war, but someone should tell Wu we were coming for him.

* * *

 **LynxOnSmoothies: I never understood the need to have all the female characters in a story at each others throats. I think it is possible, if not better, to have multiple female characters who aren't in a cat fight, in some cliche love triangle or hating each other simply out of obligation. To me that's just not reality. At least not reality once you get out of middle school. I like including Claire and giving her some depth, her own story, and I love writing her interacting with Owen b/c they are so different. It's fun to pit them against each other, but not make it tacky. I'm glad you enjoy it b/c I think it really adds to the story and let's not forget she's the director of operations and I find it hard to believe there would be much going on at the park she didn't know about. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thanks so much for taking the time to review!  
**

 **jahoney: I am excited and more than a little terrified to admit that you have inspired me. I have a story (I've had it for a while now) that I am going to write, and publish. I'm in the very beginning stages, but hopefully I can get it finished within the year. I'm still trying to figure out where to find an editor, and figure out of self publishing works. I'm going to go ahead and assume no publisher will be involved. Thank you for giving me the confidence to give it a shot. I will let you know how it is progressing, and maybe you can promise to buy a copy (even if its really bad:)**

 **KaraAlissa: I'm so glad you feel like you are there with the characters. That is my goal. I try to go that extra mile and paint a picture that sucks you guys in. I absolutely love it when a story does that to me so to hear you say it about mine is wonderful! I agree 100% that it's important to have female characters that aren't terrible to each other simple b/c of anatomy. Having Claire there affords me the opportunity to flush out some very important details so I'm glad you enjoy her portrayal in the story. Thank you so much for reading and letting me know your thoughts (twice no less:)**

 **thakidisbac: I love that you are swimming in your feels! I hope you take another dip with this chapter :) Let me know for sure. I really appreciate you reading and reviewing...hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **CopperMax: Wow! Thanks so much for the amazing compliment! I am so glad you are moved by the story and the characters. It has been so much fun creating the story, and the people that I just can't seem to stop :) Hope you like this one!**

 **angelicedg: It is sad, isn't it? There is so much we don't see from Jo's POV b/c she is out of it. Writing it from Owen's POV let's us see how Jo's accident reverberated through the whole park. There was a lot that is happening, and it's tough stuff. I hope you enjoyed this chapter...the action picks up a little. Thank you for reading and reviewing!**


	16. When She's Ready

**Apologies for the delay, life can be a real B sometimes. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16 – When She's Ready**

"All her tests have come back promising. I'm hopeful she'll recover in time," Dr. Kondrat told me as the nurse busied herself with cleaning up the remnants of Jo's intubation tube. It had taken the better part of three days for her brain's swelling to subside to the point Dr. Kondrat felt comfortable taking her off the ventilator. The nurse wheeled the massive life support machine carefully out of the room, smiling reassuringly at me on her way out.

"So, now what?" I asked.

"Now we wait."

Oh, good, I thought it was going to be something excruciatingly hard.

Looking down at Jo I licked my lips slowly as my eyes roamed over her face. The bruises were fully formed now. The black and purple splashed across her temple and face a stark contrast to her deathly pale complexion.

"When will she wake up?"

He stopped writing, looking at Jo briefly. "When she's ready."

So began the waiting game. By the end of the second day I was on the verge of hospitalization myself. I was losing my mind in this room with nothing but my thoughts to occupy me. Sure, Jo had a constant stream of visitors, but no one could stomach the "what ifs" for too long before they tucked tail and ran. I didn't blame them. This room sucked. The only people who lasted more than 10 minutes were Barry, Lowery and Hamada. Problem was life didn't pause just because something terrible happened. Everyone had responsibilities, jobs, families, friends. It's a sobering reminder that the world continues to turn no matter what.

Still, I stayed. While everyone else's life continued on mine was stuck in limbo. It was an unspoken arrangement that I wouldn't leave – couldn't leave until she woke up. That was until Simon came down and made my unspoken vow an outright order.

"What does the doctor say?" Simon inquired, inching slowly towards Jo's bed. He looked scared. Whether it was because he feared he'd hurt her if he touched her or the shock of seeing her was too much I wasn't sure. I was tempted to tell him there was no way he could hurt her any worse than she already was, but didn't think it would help his anxiety levels.

"All her test results have been promising. The swelling in her brain went down rather quickly so they removed the intubation tube two days ago. Her other injuries are healing nicely, and there hasn't been any sign of infection so that's good. The biggest question mark is brain damage, but until she wakes up…" I trailed off. Swallowing thickly I ran my hands through my hair. I couldn't finish that sentence. Hadn't been able to yet. Almost like if I gave a voice to my fear I would see it materialize before my very eyes. Simon's eyes flicked towards me before returning to Jo, he sat down in the chair next to her, carefully taking her hand in his.

"There is no time frame?" he asked, never taking his eyes off her.

"No," I answered simply. "It's all up to her now. She has to find a way back."

He nodded absently. "You know, I've never met anyone who could be so simultaneously tedious and endearing at the same time."

We both laughed. "Yeah, she has that effect on people."

He hummed in agreement, his head tilting to the side as he examined her. I was surprised to see him here. People got hurt all the time at Jurassic World, albeit not as gravely as Jo, and I'd never heard of Simon making a trip all the way down to the clinic. With Jo you either loved her on sight or you hated her until your dying breath. She wasn't a woman who cultivated a middle ground or left room for any substantial gray area. It was clear by the look on Simon's face he'd chosen his side.

"It sounds so cliché, but she's one of the only people I know who treats me like a person," he spoke absently, almost like he was talking to himself. "She was never blinded by the money or the titles. Never one to tell me only what I wanted to hear no matter how badly I wished she would sometimes," he laughed sadly. "She's always just seen me. Good and bad, she takes me as I am."

I walked towards the other side of the bed, sitting down in the chair. "I know she'd appreciate you coming by."

He scoffed in outrage. "Don't be ridiculous Owen, we both know she'd hate the mere thought of anyone seeing her like this." Probably. "Except for you."

Clearing my throat to buy myself some time I tried to think of a way to steer this conversation away from the disaster zone it was currently headed towards. The only thing more awkward than talking to Simon about my private life was when my mother decided to explain the birds and bees to me (complete with hand drawn pictures) when I was 18 years old. Just like my mother Simon continued on, oblivious to my discomfort.

"I am well aware of the change in your relationship as of late." And just like that I was trapped in that awkward moment where you have no idea how to respond so you just smile noncommittally. "Relax, you look like you're posing for a mug shot."

Really? Felt more like I was prepping for a rectal exam, but whatever.

"All I meant was I understand you're together now. I am happy for you both, truly. Jo deserves someone who can treasure her more…unique personality traits." He smirked at me, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket as he continued, "I want to make sure someone is here when she wakes up, and seeing as how you're the only one she can tolerate over an extended period of time I've taken the liberty of processing your leave for the foreseeable future."

"I appreciate that sir," I told him honestly, mimicking his movement and standing up.

He waved his hand dismissively, "It was nothing. Besides, from what I've been told you have yet to leave her side so all I did was make it official."

"Still, thank you. I'll get with Barry and make sure we don't fall to behind with the girls."

"I have complete confidence in you Owen," he responded before leaving.

I had the profound feeling he was talking about more than just the raptors. Just like that it was back to the waiting game.

It was late in the afternoon on the fourth day when I noticed a change in her. Barry had stopped by, bringing dinner in the form of meatball sandwiches. We were quietly discussing the upcoming week at the paddock when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I stopped talking mid-sentence, staring at her hand.

"What's wrong?" Barry questioned, concern heavy in his tone.

"Did you see that?" He looked towards her hand, his eyebrows scrunched together before he looked back to me.

"See what?" It was obvious from his tone he thought I was a few clowns short of a full-blown circus.

My eyes bore into her hand with such intensity they began to water, but nothing happened. Just when I thought the entire event was something my sleep deprived mind had conjured up out of desperation it happened again. The fingers on her uninjured hand began twitching. They started slowly at first, no real pattern to the movement until gradually all five fingers were moving like she was playing an invisible piano. Glancing towards her face I saw her eyes darting rapidly back and forth beneath her eyelids.

"Is this good or bad?" Barry asked, his eyes fixated on her moving fingers.

"According to Dr. Kondrat it's a good thing," I told him. "It could mean she's close to waking up."

Her heart rate monitor started beeping incessantly, her heartbeat climbing steadily. Standing up I leaned over her, gently combing my fingers through her hair as I ran my hand down her face.

"Shhh, everything's OK," I crooned. Her heart rate instantly slowed then leveled out. I kissed her forehead. "I'm here Jo. Whenever you're ready to come back I'll be here. Take your time baby. I'm not going anywhere."

She exhaled deeply, the twitching in her hands and eyes slowing until they stopped altogether. Sitting back down I moved my unfinished sandwich to the table, my appetite gone.

"I hope for your sake she wakes up sooner rather than later," Barry commented. "I'm not sure how much longer you can keep this pace man. You're looking rough."

I glared at him. "I'm fine. I shower. I sleep." He raised his eyebrows. "OK, fine. I've showered once and I've attempt to sleep. It's not like this chair is a Tempur-Pedic."

"You'll do her no good if you're dead on your feet when she wakes up."

"Fine mom, I pinky promise to get some sleep tonight. Are we done?"

Barry froze, a devious smile snaking its way across his face. He tapped his pointer finger against his lips in mock contemplation, and I knew I'd made a grievous error.

"Did you just say pinky promise?" His eyes sparked with evil intent that promised nothing short of mayhem. I was so screwed.

Dropping my head into my hands I groaned. "Maybe."

"Where, might I ask, did you pick up this charming trait?" He wasn't even attempting to hold himself back anymore.

"Do you really need to ask?" I answered with my head still down, waving my hand in Jo's general direction. "She's got a thing for pinky promises. She says there cosmically binding, and anyone who dares break one will have to face pinky promise karma. I don't know man, I just go with it."

"Pinky promise karma?" he parroted back, laughing.

"She's a true believer. Who am I to naysay? Besides, pinky promising is about the only way to ensure she'll do something. Why would I pass that up?"

"Good point." He stood up stretching, and began gathering his belongings. "I'm gonna call it a night. If anything changes let me know. I'll check in with you tomorrow once I'm at the paddock."

"Sounds good. Thanks for dinner."

He nodded in response, moving towards the door. "Are you going to tell her about Cole?"

I looked up at him, dragging my teeth across my lips. "I kinda need her to wake up first."

"You know what I mean."

Leaning back in the chair I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Yes, I'm going to tell her. She's got a right to know. I won't hide it from her, but it's not gonna be the first thing out of my mouth either."

To say Barry was less than pleased with the Showdown at the O.K. Corral, otherwise known as shooting Cole at the airport, would be an understatement. Personally, I think he was just pissed he wasn't there to personally shoot Cole a few times just for good measure. He understood the need for Hamada and I do defend ourselves against deadly force, but Barry wasn't a military man. His entire mindset originated from a place of compassion and concern for others. It went against his very nature to seek out violence. Deep down I knew he understood what happened that day couldn't have played out any other way. The real issue was he felt little, if any, remorse for Cole's fate. He was having a hard time justifying his lack of guilt over the outcome to his moral compass.

His eyes dropped towards the ground as he muttered something in French I couldn't hear. "I know you'll always do what's best for her. I'd never question that."

I took a hard look at Barry for the first time in days, and realized I wasn't the only one struggling. He looked haggard, worn down to the bone. He deserved more than I could give him at the moment, but I could still give him the truth.

"I know how it may have looked, but I didn't go out there with the intention of killing him," I told him softly. "Despite what I said, killing him was the last thing I wanted. Taking a life, even one as vile as Cole, is not something I take lightly."

I looked directly at Barry, willing him to heed my words. He was one of my best friends, and his opinion mattered to me.

"I remember every life I've ever taken. I see their faces when I close my eyes at night. I will carry the burden of their deaths to my own grave." My voice broke a little at the end and I coughed to clear my throat. "You don't need to fear for my humanity. I'm still in here. I'm the same man you've always known."

He grinned slightly, nodding at me. "Good night my friend."

"Night Barry."

Walking towards the door I flipped the lights off leaving only the minimal light pouring through the window lighting the room. I made my way to the bed, tucking the covers tightly around Jo before kissing her lightly.

"Night babe."

Settling into my chair for another night of painful sleep I propped my legs up on the edge of the bed, careful to avoid any of Jo's wires. I had little hope of getting any rest, but my body had other ideas. Only a few seconds after closing my eyes I fell into a dreamless sleep born from sheer exhaustion. The reprieve from reality was a blessing my weary mind needed.

Hours later I was ripped from the smothering darkness of sleep by a sound I hadn't heard in days.

"Owen."

It was no more than a whisper, her voice raspy and horse from disuse. To me it sounded as if she was shouting from the rooftops because I was up and out of my seat before she finished saying my name.

Standing next to her bed I stared at her, unwilling to even blink less she disappear. Her brown eyes looked unfocused and exceptionally tired, and when she tried to smile at me she winced as her chapped lips cracked painfully. Immediately I moved towards the foot of her bed, pouring a small glass of water. I placed the straw in her mouth and she drank the cool liquid greedily.

"Easy. Go slow," I told her, pulling the straw back, smiling down at her.

Her head dropped back to the pillow, a tired smile on her face. Her eyes inspecting every inch of me, starting at the tips of my hair and traveling down the length of my body. I took my time doing the same to her. Her bruises were still prominently displayed on her face, but her scratches and scrapes were healing nicely. I didn't think any of them would scar, and Dr. Kondrat had done a great job hiding the sutures from her head wound within her hairline. You could hardly see it unless you knew where to look.

The wound in her upper chest was a different story. I'd seen it several times when the nurse had cleaned it and changed her bandages. The injury was jagged and irregularly shaped with three inches of stitches trailing under her breasts down towards her naval in an angry red line. The only good news was the wound had avoided infection, but there was no doubt she would have a vicious scar left behind long after the injury healed. A lifelong reminder of how close she'd come to death.

I noticed her big, brown eyes crinkle at the corners as she smirked up at me. I felt myself returning the gesture. She looked exhausted, bruised, battered and in serious pain, but I'll be damned if she wasn't the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

"You look like shit," she whispered weakly, her eyebrows raised in question.

Glancing down at my clothes I took note of my rumpled, untucked shirt. The sleeves of my Henley pushed up to my elbows haphazardly. My cargo pants looked more than a few days past their expiration date. I couldn't help the thunderous laugh that exploded out of me as I absently ran my fingers through my hair in an attempt to reign in my unruly locks, knowing full well it would do nothing to improve the situation up there. Running my hands over my face I realized for the first time the stubble there was easily a few days old. When was the last time I'd shaved?

She was right. I'd seen better days. Given the gravity of the moment I couldn't produce even one fuck to give. She was not only awake, but attempting weak ass jokes. It was music to my ears.

"Yeah, well, you aren't exactly looking too hot yourself hero," I teased.

She beamed at me, reaching out slowly with her uninjured hand, wrapping her fingers around my shirt. She licked her lips as she attempted to pull me closer. She didn't have the strength, but I knew what she needed because I craved it as well. Leaning forward I placed one hand on either side of her body as I hovered over her, our faces just inches apart.

"You scared me to death," I confessed as I closed the distance, pressing my lips to hers. My heart relaxed for the first time in days as I felt her lips move against mine, her tongue sweeping out to caress my own. We kissed each other desperately. A kiss filled with need. As if it might be the last time. Telling each other without words how scared we'd been. Apologizing for things that had never been our fault.

Jo attempted to sit up slightly, trying to wrap her arm around my neck. She gasped in pain, falling back against the bed before I could slow her fall. Squeezing her eyes shut she panted against the pain as beads of sweat formed on her forehead, a small tear spilling out of the corner of her eye.

I'd been so thrilled she was finally awake I'd forgotten the most important issues we were still facing. My need to reassure myself she was actually OK had gone too far. What was I thinking making out with her in a hospital bed when no less than five minutes ago she'd essentially still been in a coma? I hated myself in that moment.

"I'm going to get the doctor," I stated, leaving little room for argument, already moving away from her towards the door.

"Wait," she called out, reaching out to grab my sleeve and missing by a mile. "Please, just wait one minute."

"Jo, you need to see the doctor." That was putting it mildly. She could potentially have brain damage and I'd wasted 10 minutes satisfying my selfish desires. I would never forgive myself if it caused her additional harm.

"I know…I just…I need to know what happened first, and I don't want to hear it from a stranger."

Her words paralyzed me with fear. This was what we'd been dreading from the moment we knew she'd survive. The fight to save her life was only half the battle. The fight to save her mind was something we had no control over. Not knowing the extent of the damage to her brain caused by the accident made bile build in the back of my throat, an acidic taste coating my tongue.

"You don't remember?" I asked, trying to keep my tone level. Scaring her would only add to her panic, and the heart rate monitor had already kicked up a few notches. Scrunching her forehead in thought she shook her head, struggling to put the pieces together.

"I was at the I-Rex paddock," she struggled to remember. Her eyes shifted to mine for confirmation and I nodded encouragingly. "I was watching…taking notes again, I think."

'I think' was added as an afterthought. She didn't actually remember it, but was playing the probabilities.

"Do you remember anything else?" I wasn't a neurologist, but her brain appeared to be functioning normally. She was cognizant, knew who I was the second she'd seen me, seemed to know she was in a hospital recovering. The only thing she couldn't pinpoint were the events that led her here. What exactly did that mean? The apprehension I felt must have been plain on my face. A pair of brown, petrified, wide eyes stared back at me anxiously. She knew something was wrong, she just didn't know what it was.

"No." She dropped her eyes to the bed, unshed tears pooling in her eyes. "I…I can't remember," she admitted with frustration.

Moving towards the edge of the bed I sat down. "Shhh, hey, it's OK." If I thought seeing her in a coma was difficult watching her cry in frustration was liable to kill me.

"How long have I been here?" she asked, swiping away the tears running down her face.

Nobody likes the bearer of bad news, and I was about to unleash some epically bad news. I resisted the urge to shift away from her. I was reasonable certain she wouldn't hit me, and even if she tried her movement were sluggish at best.

Swallowing thickly I answered, "Five days."

Her eyes flew open and the groggy cloudiness that had made her look dazed earlier cleared in an instant. She looked simultaneously scared shitless, utterly confused, and capable of inflicting serious injuries should answers not start presenting themselves in an orderly fashion. Her heart rate and blood pressure monitor were off the charts. The annoying beeping sound coming so rapidly there was almost no delay between one beep and the next. The last time I'd seen readouts like these the person was having a heart attack.

"Jo, you have to calm down. I'll tell you everything, but I need you to stay calm," I pleaded with her, my eyes darting back and forth between her and the monitors.

She grabbed my hand, squeezing harder than I would have thought her capable given the circumstances. I kept my eyes locked on hers as she breathed in and out in time with me, calming herself down. I whispered quiet words of encouragement as she tried to stifle the panic attack. When her breathing had slowed, and she released the death grip on my hand, I told her the story.

"Five days ago you were at the I-Rex paddock like normal. You were getting ready to leave for the day when one of the paddock workers was attacked and injured by the I-Rex. He was hurt pretty bad, but you saved his life by clamping the artery in his arm to stop the blood loss," I told her calmly, searching her face for any recollection.

How strange it must be to hear this all from someone else while you felt the realness of it reflected in every injury littering your body. She struggled to make sense of the information, to find any part of her mind that remembered even a shred of what I'd just described. I could tell by the irritation on her face she remembered nothing.

"But…what…how did I end up here?" she stuttered, her panic level rising again.

My gaze softened and I scooted closer to her, making sure she was looking at me I said, "Baby, it's going to be OK. Do you trust me?"

Without hesitation she nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat that told me she dreaded what was to come. I brought her hand to my lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles in apology. She wasn't the only one who didn't want to hear the rest of the story.

"After you got Enrique to the clinic Claire called you to her office. She wanted to get the full story so she could brief Mr. Masrani and ensure it didn't happen again. She had Dr. Wu in her office when you arrived," I said the last part quietly, watching her for any reaction. "She said the two of you had a disagreement, but she didn't know exactly what about. You left right after that and on your way home when someone hit your car knocking you off the side of a cliff."

Her face remained blank, no recognition evident as I finished. I didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse that she couldn't remember any of this.

"Do you remember arguing with Dr. Wu?"

"No," she answered, dropping her eyes to our joined hands. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes until she asked, "My accident wasn't really an accident, was it?"

Of course she would figure it out mere moments after waking up. I knew for a fact her accident was a calculated move on Wu's part to eliminate whatever information Jo had discovered that day, but couldn't bring myself to tell her yet. She was visibly struggling to digest the information I'd just told. Pilling the Cole Rogers dynamic, and everything that had unfolded at the airport, didn't seem right. We still had her recovery to think about, and I knew hearing about Cole's involvement would make her fly off the hinges.

"No, probably not." I told myself I wasn't lying to her. I would tell her about Cole. I would tell her about my suspicions regarding Wu hiring a hitman. Just not until after she'd seen the doctor. There would be plenty of time in the future to go down that rabbit hole.

"Any ideas?" She looked like she was making a mental list of all the potential suspects capable of trying to kill her. She'd probably be at that for a while.

I laughed, "Oh, we've batted around some definite possibilities. The problem is the list is a little too long to be of any use. As it turns out you have a tendency to rub people the wrong way."

It was true. Until Lowery had interrupted us with a life-sized teddy bear and an actually list of viable suspects Barry and I had compiled a list of at least 50 potentials, and counting. If her ability to inspire homicidal tendencies weren't so disturbing it would be impressive. I'd encountered terrorists with better track records.

She scowled at me for a second before coming to the same conclusion. Shrugging uncaringly she rolled her eyes. "Anyways," she continued dismissively. "So, what's the damage?" she asked, gesturing to herself.

My smile disappeared at once. Rolling my shoulders to ease the tension I told her, "You have a Grade 2 concussion, broken wrist, some bruised ribs, sprained knee, and more bruises and cuts than I can remember." I exhaled slowly before continuing, "Your spleen was ruptured and you needed emergency surgery. They were able to repair it, but it was touch and go for a while. You needed a blood transfusion and they thought it was best to keep you in a medically induced coma for a few days to let some of the swelling in your brain subside."

She looked almost bored as I rattled off her list of injuries. I had the sinking suspicion the injuries she was currently sporting weren't the worst she'd ever had to endure. The thought of such horrific damage being commonplace in her life made me feel physical ill. I was once again reminded of the stark contrast in our pasts.

"So, not too bad all things considered," she joked.

I scowled at her. Not only was the idea of her making a joke out of this enough to light a spark under my ass I was still keenly aware of how close I'd come to losing her. She may not remember anything, but every horrific detail of that night and the aftermath was forever burned into my memory. Surprisingly enough, I found it about as amusing as someone ripping my fingernails off for fun.

"No Jo, it's very bad. When I found the Jeep at the bottom of that cliff you weren't breathing. I had to do CPR on you for three minutes before you started. Three minutes! Do you have any idea what it's like to think the woman you love is dead and there might be nothing you can do about it?!"

That night flashed through my mind like a movie reel. Images, sounds, smells and feelings all muddled together painting the worst day of my life in vivid detail. I remembered finding Jo in that mangled mess that used to be her Jeep. I remembered thinking I was too late, and how the agony had stabbed through every part of my body ending directly in my heart. I recall seeing her lying there and thinking she was already dead only to pull her out and realize I was right, she wasn't breathing. The fear from that night was something I'd never erase. It flooded my veins like ice water, and my normally calm demeanor had evaporated instantly. I was desperate to save her, desperate to get her breathing again, desperate to keep her with me. I was just desperate.

Jo pulled me towards her slowly, whispering words I couldn't hear. I rested my forehead against hers as she closed her eyes, gently running her hand down my chest. A frantic need to reassure myself that she wasn't still at the bottom of that cliff dead overwhelmed me. Cradling her face in my hands I tipped her face back, pressing my lips firmly against hers. I meant to kiss her lightly, slowly, just enough to know she was alive.

It's true what they say, sometimes plans don't work out because chaste kisses are stupid, and full blown make out sessions are _WAY_ better.

My tongue glided across her lower lip and she moaned, leaning into the kiss, her hands clutching my shirt. In the back of my mind I knew this was a horrible idea, but my mind and body were not on the same page. Fuck, they weren't even on the same planet at this point. I was practically on top of her when I heard someone clearing their throat from behind me.

"Guess I know why your heart rate and blood pressure are through the roof."

We both stopped, biting our lips to keep from cracking up. It had been a long time since I'd be caught in such a precarious position. Well, technically that wasn't true. I'd been caught in a very similar position with Jo only a few weeks ago at the gala. Seemed she really brought out my inner teenager.

Somehow I just knew Dr. Kondrat wouldn't find the situation nearly as funny. That guy made Hamada look like a standup comedian. I kissed Jo one last time quickly before standing up, and turning towards the door.

"Sorry, pain medication lowers my inhibitions," Jo told Dr. Kondrat who didn't look the least bit fazed by catching us dry humping. If Grey's Anatomy was anything to go by this kind of thing happened all the time in hospitals.

"I'm Dr. Kondrat, the attending surgeon here, can you tell me how you feel? Besides horny." He asked, ignoring her comment and using the stethoscope to listen to her heart while noting the readings on each monitor.

Jo ignored his jab like the world-class avoidance champion she was, and I knew these two were off to a rough start. The funniest part (or maybe the worst depending on your point of view) was Dr. Kondrat didn't even know the "crazy woman" he'd called to warn me about all those months ago was the one lying in the hospital bed.

"Um, pretty good considering. My pain is manageable right now."

If she thought she was getting off the hook that easy she was sorely mistaken.

"She can't remember anything leading up to the accident," I added. Jo shot me a nasty look filled with promises of retribution. Since she couldn't walk to the bathroom without falling down I wasn't too worried.

"Temporary amnesia isn't uncommon with the type of head injury you sustained," Dr. Kondrat responded, finishing up the cursory examination, "It's possible, with time, you will be able to remember what happened."

"Possible?" she asked skeptically.

I wanted to tell her she was lucky she remembered anything at all given the gravity of her accident. Hell, she was lucky her brain hadn't liquefied and melted out of her ears. She was conscious, lucid and could remember everything except the events just prior to the accident. I'd call that a win any day of the week.

Dr. Kondrat took a deep breath before continuing. "Your body underwent an incredible trauma. You were found not breathing and unresponsive at the scene, and coded twice on the table during the surgery to repair your spleen. That is not something to be taken lightly. You are very lucky to be alive and there is a real possibility you won't ever remember the events leading up to the accident."

Jo's face paled slightly. This guy's bedside manner needed work. He seemed like the type of doctor to tell a kid with a broken arm to just "shut up and take the lollipop".

"So, I technically died three times?" Jo asked for clarification. Her eyes were wide with fear, and I slipped my hand into hers, squeezing it lightly for support. It had damn near knocked me on my ass when I'd heard it so I knew how she was feeling at the moment.

"Yes, but despite that I expect you to make a full recovery. It will take some time for all your injuries to heal completely, but once they do you should be as good as new." Dr. Kondrat was at the foot of her bed diligently filling out paperwork. Either he hadn't noticed her distress or he simply didn't care.

Probably the latter.

Unfortunately for Jo her time with Dr. Happy was just beginning. He called a nurse into the room and the two of them began a rigorous routine of poking, prodding and examining every conceivable inch of her body. They drew blood, took her blood pressure and temperature (at least four times), checked her bandages, and examined her stitches in painstaking detail. When Dr. Kondrat shoved a pen light into her eyes she visible convulsed, turning onto her uninjured side and dry heaving. When he'd responded by asking her if she felt any discomfort she tried to strangle him with his own stethoscope. I was forced to intervene before she put him in a hospital bed of his own.

If I thought he'd learned his lesson I was wrong. However, he decided to switch tactics. Instead of continuing a physical exam that would inevitably lead to him bleeding he moved on to a mental assessment. This consisted of him calling out a series of rapid fire questions at Jo, giving her no time to think on the response. Once she'd answered one question he was already calling out another before she could finish her sentence. She was pissed throughout most of the exchange, but she could easily recall most of the current events he asked. She knew what year it was, who the president was, and even when and why she'd ended up at Jurassic World.

When he decided to up the ante by testing her mathematically skills she got absolutely every single question wrong. I wasn't the least bit worried because that had nothing to do with her head injury and everything to do with our flailing educational system. Jo was allergic to math. If she couldn't Google the answer she just guessed or avoided the question altogether. One time while attempting to bake a cake she'd asked me what ¼ plus ¼ was so I wasn't too shocked she couldn't do long division in her head. Mathematician failings aside her memory seemed to be in working order as it pertained to everything except the day of her accident. Any time Dr. Kondrat probed about a detail from that day she just stared at him as if he were talking about someone elses life.

What happened at the paddock? Blank look.

Did she remember her encounter with Dr. Wu? Angry, blank look.

Could she recall any detail from the crash? Annoyed, blank look.

"OK, I think that's enough for now," Dr. Kondrat remarked after another failed attempt to jog her memory, "As I said, your memory could return with time or you may never be able to recall that day in any detail. Don't push yourself."

The last statement didn't sit well with her. She wasn't the type of person who did well with the unknown. She couldn't even handle not knowing what was happening on the next episode of the Blacklist. There was no way she was going to be OK with never being able to remember that day with any clarity. Thankfully at the moment she was too tired, and in too much pain to put up much of a fight.

"When can I get out of here?" she asked absently, her eyes already closed.

"Let's just see how you do before we talk about discharge. I still need to run some tests and make sure they all come back clean."

She paused briefly before continuing, "So…one, maybe two days?"

Jesus Christ, here we go. Maybe unconscious Jo wasn't so bad. I sighed as Dr. Kondrat eyed her critically before walking towards the door.

"Simon was right, you are a pain in the ass." Jo's mouth dropped open in shock at the same time I burst out laughing. Maybe he did know Jo was the "crazy lady" who went around breaking people's collarbones. "I'll see you in the morning Jo. Try to get some rest."

He left without another word. It took me another 20 seconds to get my laughter under control. Jo looked less amused, but she didn't seem too upset by the assessment.

"Do you think I'm a pain in the ass?"

I flashed her my 100-watt smile, my eyes sparkling with mischief. "No, I think you're crazy, not a pain in the ass."

She huffed in return. "I'm not crazy. I'm a limited edition."

I leaned forward, kissing her softly before settling back into my chair. "Yes you are Josephine and that's why I love you. Now get some sleep. We'll figure out the jail break tomorrow."

She muttered something incoherent, her eyes already closed. Absently I stroked the fingers on her hand as I watched her fall asleep.

It was surreal to think that only a few short hours ago I was terrified she might never wake up while at the same time dreading that if she did she might never be the same. I shouldn't be surprised she'd beaten the odds. I had no idea how, but it was what she'd done, again. Maybe she was lucky. Maybe she was blessed. I didn't know, and I didn't care. She was here, and she was going to be OK.

The past few days had been a struggle that had tested the limits of my heart and mind, but as I felt myself succumb to sleep I realized I hadn't felt this good in days. The struggle had been brutal. It had threatened to destroy us both, but it hadn't been successful.

Oddly enough I was thankful for it.

Thankful that this awful, twisted, painful road had led me just shy of my breaking point. It was only here, on the verge of losing it all, that I'd been able to see the bigger picture. The battle had shown me exactly where I was meant to be all along.

Without facing the struggle I wouldn't be holding the hand of my strength.

* * *

 **thakidisbac: I'm so glad you liked that little addition. I thought we needed to see good 'ol Cole again one last time :) Hamada is a hoot to write. He is kinda a badass, right? Love it! Thanks for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
**

 **KaraAlissa: Cole was a douche...good fun to have him back (albeit briefly). I love Hamada too. He's cool as ice :) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing..it really means a lot and keeps me going!**

 **jahoney: Thanks a bunch! It was fun to balance the need for revenge/justice with their humanity. Throwing what you will do for those you love always makes it fun. Hope you enjoy Jo's return to the story.**

 **LadyBugQueen421: Ask and you shall receive :) Hope you like this one. Jo's back! Thanks for reading and reviewing. It really makes my day:)**

 **angelicedg: It is, isn't it? Well, she's awake...what do you think? Pretty overwhelming for Owen. There was a lot going on emotionally in this chapter with Jo being back in the picture. I hope you liked it, thanks for reading!**


	17. Promises

**This is it, the end. I apologize if there are more errors than usual. I'm currently "on vacation" with my family, but like most things in my life it's not working out so well. If you've never tried to throw up in the back of a moving RV with four kids yelling they want their breakfast you just haven't lived. I will go back and give this chapter the editing it deserves just as soon as I pry my face off the bathroom floor, but I didn't want to deprive you guys of this last chapter. I hope it was worth it :)  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 17 – Promises**

"Tell me again."

"How many times…"

"You're sure it was Cole?" she cut me off.

"Yes." There was no mistaking that dickwad.

"Cole Rogers?"

"For the 100th time, yes."

"Cole Rogers, the pansy ass whose elbow I dislocated in training?"

I rolled my eyes before answering, "Yes." She'd been repeating the same questions, fifty different ways, over and over again for days now. Her voice rising in volume incrementally as the days wore on. It was rapidly approaching levels only dogs could hear.

"That motherfucker." The adjectives used to describe the dearly departed Cole Rogers were imaginative and graphic. I was in the Navy and had never heard half the combinations Jo had belted out in the last three days. As promised, I'd filled her in on Cole's part in her "accident" the day after she'd woken up. She was taking it about as well as I'd expected. "I have half a mind to bring him back just so I can kill that piece of shit myself."

Which mean she was as mad as a wet hen.

Inevitably the conversation always circled back to her being disappointed she hadn't been the one to deal with Cole. I could understand her frustration. If someone had jettisoned me off a cliff face I'd probably want a few minutes alone with them too before they went to meet their maker. Plus, there was the always present reminder that Cole was nothing but a pawn, a middle man. We were still no closer to having any solid proof of Wu's involvement, and unfortunately Jo was no closer to remember what had triggered his drastic actions.

"As fun as that sounds maybe you should just focus on getting better," I offered diplomatically. The self-explanatory hand gesture she responded with told me my efforts were largely wasted.

"I've got to get out of this prison," she huffed, eyes darting around the room for possible escape routes. So far she had about four different plans to escape the clinic should Dr. Kondrat not uphold his end of the bargain and release her at his "earliest convenience". She didn't know I'd seen the one she'd doodled on the back of her leftover lunch napkin. If she wasn't hooked to enough machines to power the space shuttle I'd be worried she might actually be able to pull one off.

"It's only been a couple of days."

"It's been three days," she clarified.

Confused, I just looked at her. "That's what I said."

"No, you said a couple. A couple means two." She held up her busted wrist which was still encased in an obnoxiously pink cast. She was attempting to display two fingers, but the cast drastically limited her mobility, and her fingers were swollen to double their normal size so it looked like she holding up three breakfast sausages. "I've been here three days."

I think I liked her better when she was unconscious. If things kept up at this rate I'd break her out of her myself. She'd been restless, agitated and chomping at the bit to leave since the moment she rejoined the land of the living.

"When is Barry coming to pick up Ted?" she asked, distracted by her packing efforts.

Ted, the life-sized teddy bear Lowery had gifted to her, also known as the bane of my existence was currently sitting in the corner eyeing me with an annoying smirk. She'd fallen in love with the oversized terror as soon as she'd seen it, and outright refused to get rid of it (i.e. throw it away). Barry had taken great pleasure watching me squirm as I struggled to come up with a convincing argument for why we should set it on fire as opposed to take it home. Jo's refusal was as swift as it was final. We were taking Ted home because he was now "our responsibility". I still wasn't sure how I'd become the disgruntled parent to a stuffed bear the size of a Velociraptor, but like most things when it came to Jo I was learning to take it in stride.

Barry thought he was clever, siding with Jo in the fight to save Ted from a bonfire. He'd practically written sonnets about what a thoughtful gift it was, and how it would look stunning in the living room. If looks could kill that guy would've been dead on the spot. He's my friend, but friendship only goes so far, and as it happens it stops just shy of adopting life-sized teddy bears. I almost jumped for joy when his enthusiasm over Ted went a step too far.

"He's great isn't he?" Jo had asked Barry, gesturing to Ted.

I hadn't missed the glare she sent my way. Never in a million years would I have believed Jo would have a soft spot for a stuffed animal, but here it was, happening before my very eyes. She'd started bouncing up and down on the bed, attempting to clap her hands around her broken wrist when Lowery had explained it was his 'Get Well' gift to her.

"I've got the best idea," she'd shrieked, sounding like…a girl. Apparently all it took for Josephine King to display feminine characteristics was a stuffed animal. "Why don't we share custody of him? You can take him for now, and then in a few months we'll switch."

"Wait, what?" Barry had responded, confused at the rapidly changing environment. Jo looked at him expectantly, a beaming smile on her face while I'd stood off to the side grinning as Barry shifted uncomfortably. It had been better than binge watching Daredevil on Netflix.

"It'll be perfect," she'd continued, oblivious to Barry's hesitation. "We have a ton of stuff to take home already so if you could pick him up tomorrow that would be great. It's nice to see someone appreciates Ted."

The last part had been a jab directed at me, but it was Barry who looked like he'd been sucker punched. That was how quickly a joke could turn on you if you didn't know what you were doing, and obviously Barry still needed training wheels.

"I don't really think…" he'd stuttered then paused when Jo's face immediately fell. He'd looked at me for help and I'd just smirked, letting him know he was on his own with this one. I'd already gotten an ear full for hating Ted as he'd sat idly by laughing; no way was I coming to his rescue now. He'd sighed dramatically, steeling himself for the world of pain he was about to enter. "Sure, of course. I love the big guy. I'd be happy to have him stay with me."

The entire episode had me laughing so hard I'd pulled a muscle. Now I could add sharing joint custody of a teddy bear with Barry to the list of things I never thought would happen. At least the god awful thing would be living with Barry six months out of the year. We hadn't ironed out all the particulars for holidays or summer vacation, but I'd overhead Jo asking Lowery to draw up a tentative schedule.

"He'll be by this afternoon," I told her, turning to grimace at Ted. I shot Barry a quick text telling him he better pick up a car seat before this afternoon because Ted wasn't ready for adult seat belts yet. The explicit emoticons he sent as a response told me he wasn't amused.

"Can you double check the bathroom and make sure everything is out?" she asked, attempting to stuff her belongings into a bag with one hand. Every time she got one article in the bag another would fall out on the other side. It was like watching a monkey fucking a football, doomed to fail yet at the same time fascinating. "After that we can start taking all these flowers and cards out to your car."

"Jo, the doctor said it was possible you would be released today." I was treading carefully, keeping my tone neutral, but just to be on the safe side I moved further away from her. "Possible doesn't necessarily mean it's going to happen."

Her hands froze, hovering over the half packed bag. Slowly she raised her eyes to mine, her face expressionless. Her face may have been carefully blank, but there was murder in her eyes. I took another half step back just for good measure.

"I'm leaving. Today. I don't care what Dr. Uptight says. You can help me or you can leave."

Right about now I wanted to leave. I was suddenly jealous of Ted.

"You're looking a little crazy babe." That was putting it mildly. She'd been trying to keep her crazy under control, but being crazy was like being pregnant – you could only hide it for so long.

Her faced relaxed and she resumed her packing efforts. "Owen, I'm fine. All my tests have come back normal."

Saying she was "fine" was like saying Lowery had a shot with Vivian, it just wasn't true.

"Except for having absolutely no memory prior to the accident," I added, heaving a heavy sigh. Jo's picture was probably right next to the word delusional in the dictionary. It wouldn't be long before they added the word 'Syndrome' after her last name.

She shrugged in response. Trying to pretend she didn't care about the hole in her short term memory.

"I may never remember. I just need to accept it and move on. I can do that at home."

I raised my eyebrows at her. Jo didn't do acceptance. She did avoidance, denial and resentment. She frowned, breaking eye contact with me, her eyes blinking rapidly in an effort to suppress her tears. It was easy to forget that for all her bravado and false fronts she was a woman who was hurt, scared and unsure.

"Hey, are you OK?" I asked, sitting down beside her on the bed. Reaching up I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, smiling at her encouragingly.

She smiled back, pulling me towards her, kissing me softly before saying, "I'm fine. I just…I can't stay here any longer. I want things to get back to normal or at least normal for me. If I don't get out of this room soon I'm going to lose it."

Resting my forehead against hers I savored the feel of having her in my arms again. There wasn't anything I could do to speed the healing of her injuries, and I certainly couldn't give her back her lost memories, but giving her some measure of comfort was something I _could_ do.

"I'm going to take some of this stuff out to the car. I'll see if I can find the doc," I conceded, getting up and collecting several vases. "Please try to stay put and not cause trouble until I get back."

She pursed her lips in response. "And here I was about to comment on how sweet you are, but you have to go and ruin it."

I wiggled my eyebrows at her as I threw her a grin over my shoulder, picking up a few vases before walking out of the room. Her cheeks instantly flushed, and I couldn't help but chuckle. God I'd missed this.

After putting the vases, card and candy into the car I went in search of Dr. Kondrat. One of the nurses pointed me towards his office, and I stopped outside his open door, knocking lightly a few times on the frame to announce my presence.

He was bent over his computer typing in notes, still dressed in scrubs. Now that I thought about it I'd never seen the man in anything else. In fact, I'd never seen another doctor at the clinic. Guess that would explain the dark circles permanently present under his eyes, and the huge cup of coffee on his desk. He looked like a man who couldn't remember what it was like to _NOT_ be tired. Simon needed to hire this guy some help, fast.

"Owen," he started, turning to give me a tight smile before resuming his work at the computer. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Translation, what the fuck do you want now?

Engaging this guy in idle conversation was like knocking your head against a brick wall for sport so I decided to cut the shit.

"What are the chances you discharge her today?"

His typing faltered as he turned slowly towards me, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

"That woman is the most trying individual I've ever had the displeasure of knowing," he explained. "And that includes my ex-wife who has familial ties to Satan."

I didn't even try to cover my laughter. "The really shocking part is she's been on her best behavior." He looked at me with disbelief in his eyes. "It's true. She's trying, but patience isn't really her thing. She's developed no less than four escape plans that she's got a better than average chance of pulling off if she stays here much longer."

" _Her_ patience is wearing thing?" he scoffed, emphasizing the word 'her'.

"Listen, I get it, really I do. I love her with all my heart, and half the time I want to smother her with a pillow." In the most loving way possible of course.

"I know the feeling."

I continued with my 'Get Jo out of Jail' pitch, "Her tests are all good. If she stays here much longer she's bound to do more harm than good." To herself and all those around her I added silently.

He shook his head at me. "Did you now she's got the nursing staff smuggling candy in?"

Yes, I did know that. She also bribed the front desk attendant to deliver her a brontosaurus burger from Margaritaville each night too.

I shrugged, neither confirming nor denying my knowledge of her subterfuge, unwilling to get between these too any more than was strictly necessary.

"Unbelievable," he muttered, standing up and gathering some papers. "If I hadn't taken a Hippocratic Oath to do no harm I'd…"

"Yeah," I offered up before he finish. Probably best for both of us if he didn't finish that thought.

He exhaled through his mouth harshly, adjusting his glasses. "Fine, you win, I'll discharge her today, but only under the conditions that she has someone with her at all times. She may have made remarkable strides, but she's far from being ready to be on her own."

I nodded, "She'll stay with me. I'll take care of her."

We fell into step in the hallway, making our way back towards Jo's room. "The two of you live together?"

Rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly I avoided eye contact with him. "Well, not officially. Not yet anyway. I was hoping to change that in the near future."

He stopped in the middle of the hall, eyeing me dubiously. "Really?"

"What?" The way he'd said it made it sound like he'd sooner gargle with battery acid than consider living with Jo. I'm not saying he hated her, but he wasn't exactly thrilled with her existence either.

"You're going to ask her to move in with you?"

"Well, yeah," I answered stupidly, stopping in the hall beside him.

He shook his head ominously. "You're either incredibly brave or extraordinarily stupid," he commented, continuing into Jo's room as I stood there like a jackass.

Funny thing, that's actually not the first time someone's said that to me. Go figure.

Opening the door to the hospital room I was glad to see Dr. Kondrat and Jo weren't at each others throats, yet.

"I don't like ultimatums Ms. King," he huffed, not even bothering to look at her as he finished her discharge paperwork. She at least had the decency to look abashed. "But, I don't like having you as a patient more, and I have no desire to see you sneak out through the window so you are officially being discharged."

Now she just looked pissed. She shot me a scathing glare. I smiled back at her, leaning up against the wall. Her scary looks didn't work on me, much to her chagrin. Deciding to ignore me altogether she tried to sit up.

"Thanks for everything. It's been great," she wheezed, the pain her movement caused her clear on her face. She hissed out a sharp breath, and I immediately moved to her side, bracing my hands on her back to support her.

Dr. Kondrat sighed in exasperation. "Ms. King, I'm probably wasting my time but I'm going to say it anyway. It is against my better judgment that you are discharged today. You sustained severe, life threatening injuries, not to mention your chronic memory loss. Your road to recovery will be a long and hard one," he pinned her with a poignant stare, imploring her to heed his words. "That being said, your tests have come back promising and you have shown a resiliency that I have not personally come across in my medical career. You are a survivor Ms. King and that is admirable. I have no doubt you will make a full recovery. I have put in an order for your medication which you can pick up on your way out. I've given Mr. Grady the contact information for your physical therapist, as well as the appointment slip for our follow up visit in a few weeks. Feel free to call my office if anything comes up. Any questions?"

She shook her head, and Dr. Kondrat handed me the discharge paperwork, excusing himself from the room with a curt nod. Jo's nurse swept into the room before the door had even closed pushing a wheelchair in front of her and sporting a kind smile. I closed my eyes when I saw the wheelchair, keeping my fingers crossed that maybe Jo wouldn't notice it.

"What's that for?" she asked the nurse gesturing to the wheelchair, confusion in her tone. So much for not noticing.

"It's hospital policy that all patients be escorted out via wheelchair," the nurse explained.

"I can walk." And…here we go.

"I'm sure you can Ms. King, but unfortunately if you want to leave this facility you'll be doing it in this wheelchair."

My eyes darted back and forth between the two as they stared each other down.

"I hardly think anyone would notice if I walked out."

I looked at my watch, wondering how long this would take to play out. We had places we needed to be, preferably before hell froze over.

The nurse threw her a tight smile. "Be that as it may, I'd prefer to keep my employment here intact," the nurse said. "So, you have two choices, you can stay here under the care of Dr. Kondrat or you can sit your ass in the wheelchair for five minutes while I wheel you out."

"That's extortion," Jo hissed.

"Call it whatever you want." All these two needed was some mud and this would be Pay-Per-View worthy.

Jo grumbled in defeat, stringing together a litany of curses that would make any normal person blush. Sometimes I wished she came with an auto correct function, like my phone. I thought "this is motherforking bullshot" sounded much more polite.

"I heard that," the nurse chided.

"You were meant to."

Oh good lord. I quickly helped Jo shuffle out of the bed and into the wheelchair before this escalated to physical violence. I practically had to carry her the three foot distance to the chair before she collapsed into it, panting with exertion and pain. How the hell she thought she could walk out of here was beyond me.

With Jo safely tucked away in the wheelchair I grabbed the remaining items from her room, while the nurse began wheeling her out. We made a brief stop by the discharge pharmacy where I picked up enough narcotics to start my own drug cartel.

It didn't take long to get to my Jeep, the nurse all but dumping Jo out of the wheelchair and into the parking lot. The nurse was clearly annoyed and infuriated so it looked like Jo's work here was done. Once I had her situated in the passenger seat I loaded up all our belongings in the back.

"You ready?" I asked her, placing a soft kiss against her knuckles as I strapped on my seat belt.

She smiled brightly, her eyes closed and her head back as the sun danced across her face. For the first time in days she looked happy and healthy.

"Yep, let's blow this popsicle stand."

My lips twitch, fighting a smile as I pulled out of the parking lot, heading home. Jo kept her eyes closed, her head resting against the seat as the smile remained on her face. The outside air and sunshine was doing wonders already for her pallor. Her face had a healthy glow, and she looked livelier now that she was outside the confines of the hospital. For the first time since everything started I felt myself truly relax, squeezing her hand with a smile. She cracked he eyes open, tilting her head to the side to look at me.

"You good?" I asked.

"Never better."

I flashed her a 100-watt grin, and her cheeks instantly flushed red. She swallowed visible, her eyes darkening with desire. It was painfully obvious what was on her mind, but the doctor's stern warning against all things physical rang clearly in my mind. When I'd heard him tell me to hold off on any "relations" for a few weeks I'd hadn't been surprised. It was such an obvious order I hadn't even considered it since then. That had been a mistake on my part. The way she was looking at me now had me worried we wouldn't make it home without breaking the rules, much less a few weeks.

"Jo, if you keep looking at me like that I'm going to have to show you exactly how creative I can be in a pinch."

Her eyes widened as her tongue snaked out to wet her lips. I almost crashed right into a tree. This wasn't going to be hard. It was going to be damn near impossible.

"Promises, promises," she taunted, laughing at my discomfort. As much as I would love to pull this Jeep over, and explore our options we needed to get home. Loving Jo wasn't something I could do on a clock, and we had company waiting.

"As much as I would love to give every inch of your body the attention it deserves you are in no way physically ready, and even if you were we'd be late," I explained, keeping my fingers crossed this was a good idea.

When Lowery had informed me weeks ago about Jo's upcoming birthday it had seemed like a no-brainer to plan a surprise party. My instincts told me she'd probably never had anyone take the time to do something like that for her, and let's be honest, everyone loves a surprise party. Left to her own devices she probably wouldn't have even thought to mention to any of us that it was her birthday in the first place.

After her accident the party idea had been put on hold. Not knowing if someone was going to live or die puts a damper on the whole process. Once she'd woken up the debate was whether or not we should continue as planned or postpone the event. It was Barry who decided we should continue with the party, and incorporate the 'Welcome Home' part once we knew she was going to be OK.

She looked puzzled by my statement, opening her mouth to ask, but pausing as I pulled to a stop at the beginning of the dirt road by our houses. There were at least 20 cars parked haphazardly around my bungalow, people milling about in groups around the yard. Jo's face wrinkled in confusion as she took in the scene.

"What's going on? Did I miss a memo or something? Are you in trouble?" she questioned.

"I'm not in trouble," I told her. "It's a party. A party for you if you want to get specific."

Now she really looked befuddled, her eyes narrowing.

"A party?" She seemed confused by the concept.

"Yes."

"For me?"

"Yes."

If confusion was the first step towards knowledge, Jo was teetering on the edge of being considered a savant.

"Why?" she asked.

I was officially nervous. I knew listening to Barry could only end in disaster. It was too soon. She must be tired, in pain, ready for anything but a party. Jesus, she'd been released from the hospital today and I'd decide to throw her a surprise birthday and welcome home party the same day. What the fuck was I thinking?

"Well, it's kind of a two-fold, it's a welcome home we're glad you're ok party, but that part was added at the last minute after the accident," I attempted to explain. Rapidly I was trying to figure out how I could get rid of all these people without being a total dick.

Tilting her head to the side she continued to look at me. "OK, and the other part?"

It suddenly dawned on me that she didn't realize today was her birthday. Considering all that had happened to her it wasn't exactly shocking. I'd be surprised if she knew what day of the week it was right now.

"It's for your birthday," I told her.

For a few seconds she said nothing, just continued to look at me. Then her eyes dropped and I could see her trying to do the math in her head.

"Today's my birthday?" she asked quietly, almost shy.

Shifting in my seat I told her, "Yes, it is."

She seemed to consider my answer for a moment, not sure of how to process the information. Still having no idea if this was a massive mistake I just continued to wait.

"How…how did you know today was my birthday," she stuttered.

There was no way in hell I was telling her I found out because Lowery "happened" upon her "classified" personnel file, and "accidentally" read the entire thing. Yeah, I needed her to know that like I needed a swift kick to my nuts.

"I have my ways." I shot her a wink to which she just rolled her eyes. She knew as well as I did that "my ways" could only involve Lowery, a computer and some illegal hacking. Hey, it was all in the name of love.

She looked back towards my bungalow with trepidation. I'd seen people react all sorts of ways to surprise parties, but anxiety and fear was a new one.

Clearing my throat I told her, "Listen, if you aren't filling up I'm sure everyone will understand. When I planned all this I wasn't anticipating bringing you home from the hospital."

Her head whipped around to me, her eyes soft. "No, I don't want you to do that. I'm not upset about the party, it's great. I just…" she trailed off, suddenly unsure of herself again.

Leaning towards her I tipped her head back, forcing her to look at me. "What? You can tell me anything, you know that."

She hesitated, uncertain of how to proceed. I realized with surprise that she was the one who was nervous.

"I've never had one before," she explained.

Pursing my lips in confusion I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Never had what?"

"A birthday party," she said so softly I almost didn't hear her.

She'd never had a birthday party? It was almost inconceivable. I'd had a birthday party every single year of my youth. Hell, one year I had two because some of my best friends had been out of town during the first one. Those parties were my most treasured memories from my childhood. The fact that Jo had none was woefully depressing. Considering what she'd shared with me about her past it shouldn't have surprised me. What it did was absolutely sicken me in ways I'd never thought possible. The crushing desire to rip out all her painful memories, and replace them with happiness was like a force of nature.

"You've never had a birthday party?" Silently she shook her head no, embarrassed to admit the truth. Leaning forward I closed the distance between us, kissing her soundly on the lips. "I'm glad I could change that. Come on, we wouldn't want the guest of honor to be late to her own party."

This would be the first of many occasions that I would strive to give her something joyful to replace her sorrow.

She smiled at me as I drove the remaining distance towards my bungalow. Parking quickly I jumped out of the Jeep, making my way around to her. Slowly and carefully I helped her out of the Jeep, wrapping my arms around her body and latching onto her shoulders to support her. By the time she was finally out she was breathing heavily, sweat beading on her forehead.

"This wasn't a good idea. I'm going to get rid of everyone, and let you rest," I decided, already scanning the crowd for Barry.

She pulled back on my sleeve, trying to stop our forward progress. "No, please don't. I'll be fine if we just sit down," she begged. "Plus, I swear I saw some of Marco's trashcan punch over there. If I can get a few cups of that liquid gold I'll be set in no time."

I rolled my eyes at her, and she laughed. The sound was so marvelous I smiled back at her.

"Fine," I said whispering into her ear, deciding to go ahead with the party. "But try not to overdue it."

"I pinky promise," she stated, holding her pinky finger in front of my face. Glancing quickly around to make sure no one was watching I wrapped my pinky finger around hers.

"I can't believe I'm doing this in public," I muttered. It was bad enough Barry knew about it. The last thing I needed was for this information to leak into the Jurassic World gossip pipeline.

"Did you just pinky promise?" Lowery asked from behind me. And just like that my skeletons tumbled out of the closet.

I scowled at him in a futile effort to scare him into secrecy. Jo and Barry were cracking up, but Lowery had the good sense to look scared, averting his eyes as he did an accurate impression of a tomato.

"Be nice," Jo admonished, nudging me with her elbow.

"Jo welcome home." Barry stepped forward, enveloping her in a hug, pressing a quick peck on her cheek. "You scared me to death. I'm thankful you are alright," he whispered to her. I turned my head to the side in an effort to give them some privacy.

"Thank you Barry. I know what you and Owen went through to get to me and keep me alive. I owe you both my life," she told him, her eyes filling with tears, her voice shaky. Barry nodded, pretending not to notice her bodies involuntary shudder as she mentioned the accident.

She turned her attention to Lowery as Barry stepped to the side. "Hey Lowery, thanks for coming."

"Happy Birthday Jo," he said, pulling her in for another complicated hug as I maneuvered to side to give him some room. "You look much better."

"Thanks, I really appreciate you guys coming."

Barry grabbed our bags from the Jeep as I helped Jo slowly make her way toward a seat in the middle of the party. As I helped her sit down I looked around my yard, questioning where the hell all this wooden furniture that looked like it was braided had come from in the first place. I owned a few fold out chairs and some old milk crates that served as my "patio furniture". Right now my yard and patio looked like an Ikea catalogue had thrown up on it.

Once Jo was settled into the weird looking lawn chair she was swarmed by a host of people all wanting to hug her, talk to her and wish her a happy birthday and a speedy recovery. Stepping back to give everyone space I noticed Zara dart across the lawn with small pillows I knew I didn't own in her hand. When I'd run into her the day after finding out about Jo's birthday I'd casually mentioned having a party for her. Somehow that had turned into no less than 50 people, wooden furniture, tiki torches, and tables upon tables full of food. The woman was efficient, I'd give her that.

Making my way towards my grill, I started an inventory of all the meat laid out. Barry eventually made his way over, and between the two of us we had a pretty effective system of seasoning, grilling, and distributing the BBQ. I even had to make a trip inside to whip up some more of my homemade BBQ sauce when the first four servings had disappeared faster than a pig in the raptor paddock.

Jo appeared to be having a blast as she chatted and laughed with the numerous people vying for her attention. I hardly had a chance to talk to her between manning the grill and answering everyone's numerous requests, but when I saw her bribe (threaten) Lowery into bringing her a cup of the trashcan punch I made my way over to her.

"I don't think so," I told her, grabbing the cup out of her hand just as she was about to tip it back.

Her mouth opened in surprise as she looked up at me. "How in the hell?"

I handed the cup back to Lowery with clear instructions that should it happen to find itself in her hands again he'd be missing vital parts of his anatomy. I then replaced Jo's cup with a bottle of water, kissed her on the head and made my way back to the grill. She sighed dramatically, but didn't fight me on the semantics of alcohol and medication mixology.

The party lasted several more hours before the first of our guests made their excuses to leave. The gathering continued to dwindle in time with the setting sun until it was just Barry, Hamada, Lowery, Jo and me relaxing on the porch.

"Thanks for the party guys. It was really great," she told us.

I smiled at her as Hamada reached under his chair pulling out a small present wrapped in old newspaper. Jo's eyes darted back and forth between Hamada and the present like he was offering her a poisonous snake as a gift.

Hamada prompted her to take the present, his lips twitching with amusement. "It's not a birthday party without presents."

Her eyes got misty with emotion as she rapidly whipped away nonexistent tears. "I…you didn't need to do that," she stuttered, unable to keep the quiver out of her voice.

"I know. I wanted to." I squeezed her shoulder, encouraging her to take the present. She slowly reached out, holding the present like it was the most fragile thing in the world. I knew it was more than just Hamada giving her a birthday present that had her emotional. It was a logical conclusion that anyone who'd never had a birthday party had probably never been given a present. It was enough to make me emotional.

She unwrapped the paper slowly, savoring the moment of opening what very well may have been her first present. Her eyes danced with delight and anticipation. She looked so young and carefree. Once she finally had the paper off her mouth dropped open in shock as she stared at it.

"Where…how…how did you get this?" she exclaimed, unable to take her eyes of the gift.

"One of the guys snapped it," Hamada answered nonchalantly, like he'd gifted her a pair of socks. "I remember him telling me about it, and when you gave me that list to help with the security force I asked around. One of them had a copy."

"I don't know what to say," Jo told Hamada, the two of them sharing a meaningful look.

"I think thank you is customary," he told her, smiling ever so slightly. That was Hamada's impression of a mic drop.

"Thank you," she choked out, a single tear escaping and running down her cheek. "Really, this is amazing."

Hamada dipped his head in acknowledgment as she handed me what I could now see was a framed photo. Taking the frame from her I showed it to Barry as I studied it. The two of them were standing underneath the Arc of Triumph in Central Baghdad. I'd been there, and had a similar picture of me and a buddy back home in my parents' house. They must have just come from outside the green zone because they were still outfitted in full combat gear, complete with IBA's and a multitude of weapons strapped to their persons. Hamada's face was frozen in a laugh that I'd never believe him capable of were the proof not in my very hands. Jo was grinning up at him, her head tipped back slightly. They both looked so young and surprisingly carefree given the circumstances. This had to have been taken years ago when the invasion was just kicking off.

"My turn," Lowery interjected, standing up so fast his chair almost tipped backwards. He reached behind his now right chair to pull out a huge bag with 'Happy Birthday' written in enormous, red letters across the side. He handed her the bag, and she wasted no time this go around, tossing the decorative paper out and reaching inside. She pulled out a worn looking book, her face a mix of confusion and apprehension. She didn't know how to react to Lowery giving her an old book. I didn't blame her, lame gift.

"Thanks, this is great," she lied, offering Lowery a fake smile.

He rolled his eyes at her in return, grabbing the book from her as he flipped it open. "The book isn't the present. It's your book."

Wow, I'm all for re-gifting crap presents, but giving someone something they already owned as a birthday present was a new low.

"Uh, I'm not really sure where this is going," Jo stuttered. Me either.

Lowery found the page he was looking for, handing her the book. "Look," he explained, pointing to what looked like a signature. "It's signed by Dr. Grant."

All four of us leaned in to get a better look. Sure as shit, it was signed by Dr. Alan Grant himself. Not so lame after all.

"Wow, thank you Lowery. This is really thoughtful," she told him smiling before she paused. "How exactly did you get my book?"

Lowery cleared his throat, fidgeting with his shirt as he thought quickly. "Well, I, uh, took it one day when you weren't looking. I knew your birthday was coming up and I couldn't think of anything to get you then I saw your book. I have a friend, who has a friend, who was able to get it signed."

The sad part was stuff like this was considered normal for us. Breaking and entering into a friend's house was child's play compared to some of the situations we found ourselves in around here. Jo burst out laughing, and it wasn't long before we all joined in.

"It's OK Lowery. I love it, it's perfect." She was beaming at him, and I watched as Barry joined the present parade. "You too? You guys sure know how to spoil a girl."

Barry shrugged, "It isn't much, but I thought your supplies might be running low." He handed her a basket full of every candy I'd ever heard of and some I hadn't. Jo muttered a 'holy shit', holding the candy basket like she was cradling her firstborn.

"You are my best friend forever in life," she declared, never taking her eyes off the candy basket as she selected her first victim.

"I feel somewhat irrational that I'm jealous over the way you're leering at that candy," I chuckled as she was unable to pick just one piece, shoving two types of candy in her mouth at the same time.

"I'm not leering," she mumbled around a mouth full of candy.

"You just moaned," I accused, suddenly wishing the guys weren't here.

"I have a medical condition."

Everyone stood up laughing and exchanging goodnights as they made their way to their cars. Barry offered to stay behind and help clean up, but I waved him off as I walked with him to his car.

"Nah man, I've got it," I told him, shaking his hand.

"Are you going to ask tonight?"

Looking over my shoulder at Jo I saw her leaned back in the chair with her eyes closed, a content smile on her face. I answered Barry without taking my eyes off her, "Yeah, I am."

He patted me on the back as he climbed in his car, "Congratulations."

"She hasn't said yes yet," I pointed out, turning back around to look at him. He just laughed at me, pulling out into the driveway and driving home.

Walking back towards the porch I called out, "I'll be right back." Hurrying into my bedroom I went to my closet, reaching into the far right hand corner of the top shelf. Grabbing the small, wrapped box I made my way back out to Jo. She was still sitting in the chair with her eyes closed as I sat down next to her. "Happy Birthday Josephine."

Her eyes popped open as she slowly sat up. I held out the gift, waiting for her to take it. "You didn't have to get me anything Owen. This whole day, the party, it's been more than enough."

Smiling, I simply held the gift out. She reached out, her hand shaking slightly, taking the gift and placing it in her lap as she licked her lips nervously.

"It's not going to open itself," I teased.

She frowned at me then looked back down at the gift, taking a deep breath before ripping off the wrapping paper. I held my own breath, finding myself equally nervous. There was a pretty decent chance this would freak her the fuck out. I felt my stomach bottom out as she turned the small, wooden box I'd carved myself over in her hand admiring it. The suspense was killing me, but she seemed mesmerized with the box itself.

"As flattered as I am that you like the box that's not the present," I told her. She laughed, examining the box closer. Her eyes light up with recognition as she noticed the two small, bronze hinges I'd screwed into the back, indicating that it opened.

"It's a really nice box."

Even though I wasn't close to out of the woods with this one I felt my nerves settle. Tipping my head back I laughed like a child. Jo's eyes sparkled with happiness as she turned her attention back to the box, finally opening the top and looking inside. She picked up the silver key, flipping it over in her hand before looking back inside to see if she'd missed anything.

"Wow, a key. Thanks," she offered, trying to summon up some excited for the key. I shook my head at her, laughter shaking my body again for the second time in less than a minute.

"You have no idea what it is do you?" I asked.

"A key?"

"You're adorable," I smirked. She bristled at the perceived insult, trying to puff her chest out to prove she was anything but adorable. It only added to her cuteness.

"I'm not adorable. I'm lethal, dangerous, a stealth ninja." She tried to demonstrate her stealth ninja strength by flexing her bicep, but winced in pain as it pulled at her fresh stitches. Why would anyone want a normal girlfriend? That would be so incredibly boring.

"Calm down my dangerously, lethal, stealth ninja. You're right it's just a key, but that's not the point either. It's what they key symbolizes that's your gift." I needed to nip this in the bud before she felt the need to try a combat roll.

She frowned at me, looking back down at the key like it had some kind of invisible ink on it that held the answer. Clearly if I didn't spell it out we'd be on this porch all night with her looking at the damn key. Steeling my nerves I took a deep breath, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best.

"I don't want you to freak out," I started, speaking in measured, even tones. She instantly got suspicious, leaning away from me, tempted to drop the key before it bit her. "That's a key to my bungalow. I want you to have it. I want you to move in with me. I understand you may not be ready for that, and that's ok. I want you to have the key, and when you're ready I'll be here."

For a solid minute she just looked at me. She didn't blink. Didn't breathe. Just looked at me like I was speaking Chinese. I was terrified I'd just made a huge miscalculation in our relationship. I knew this would be a significant step for her, but I didn't think it would cause her to stroke out.

"You want me to move in with you?" She sounded full of doubt, and I knew I'd need to tread carefully.

"Yes." Can't get much more careful than one word.

"In your bungalow of love?" I fucking loved that she called my camper a 'bungalow of love'. It never failed to crack me up.

"Yes." Somehow I was able to get the answer out without bursting into laughter. Again.

"But," she started then stopped, looking at the key then at me. "Then I would be here, like, all the time."

"That's kinda the point babe."

If even six months ago someone had told me I'd be asking anyone to move in with me I'd have laughed my ass off at the impossibility. I'd never lived with a woman, never even had the desire to consider it, but with Jo everything was different.

She looked away from me, an internal battle waging in her mind. She mumbled under her breath, her head shaking back and forth. Her breathing was steadily speeding up to the point she was damn near hyperventilating. She was having a panic attack.

"Hey, look at me. Calm down Jo." I took her face in my hands and she slammed her eyes closed. "Look at me, please."

The pleading in my voice was unmistakable. Suddenly, asking Jo to move in with me seemed extraordinarily short sighted. I didn't think her freak out was because the thought of living with me made her consider joining a nunnery. I figured there was a greater chance the offer was dragging out years of self-doubt, loathing, and relationship issues she'd made a point to avoid her entire life.

I didn't care if she said no; I just wanted her to feel safe. I didn't want to ever put her in a position where she felt threatened or uncomfortable. She opened her eyes, looking at me with apology written all over her features. I smiled at her, letting her know it was OK. Everything was fine. I loved her whether she lived with me or the on the moon. She took a deep breath, and I prepared myself for the rejection.

"OK," she said.

"OK what?"

"OK, I'll move into your bungalow of love."

My mouth formed an 'O' as I considered her statement. She was saying yes? The realization made me want to shout from the rooftops or maybe dance a jig, but then I realized she might be saying yes just to avoid hurting me. I didn't want that. I only wanted her here if it was what she wanted. No pressure, no false pretenses. We had to be in this together.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to think…"

She cut me off, grabbing my shirt and dragging me towards her. She pressed her lips to mine, wrapping her arms around my neck as she sank into me. I leaned her back against the pillow, supporting my body weight on either side of her, my hips pressing into hers. Her vanilla scented shampoo wrapped around me like a blanket as I drank her in. I broke the kiss, resting my forehead against hers as we both panted.

She leaned back slightly, her eyes roaming my face, a smile tugging at her lips. Looking down at her I knew I was looking at the woman I'd love for the rest of my life. I'd seen what a mess she could be, how moody she was when she didn't get her coffee first thing in the morning, how hard she was to handle when her temper flared, but despite all that she was my world.

Before meeting Jo, love was simply a word. I'd never given it or the meaning behind it more than a passing thought.

The day that she'd entered my life was the day she gave meaning to the word.

"I want this, I want you," she explained, her face serious. "I just need to ask you a favor."

"Anything," I declared without hesitation.

"I won't give up on you, so don't give up on me."

"Easiest promise I ever made," I told her, leaning forward and sealing my promise with a kiss.

It was more than a promise. It was my vow. I wouldn't just say it, I'd prove it. I wasn't a man prone to idly threats or empty promises. Jo had put her trust in me, in us, and I wouldn't break it. We would fight through anything thrown our way, and come out stronger in the end. Her acceptance showed she'd fight for me. That she was capable of ignoring all the reasons this might not work, and believe in the one reason why it would. I would do no less for her.

As Walt Whitman once said, "We were together. I forget the rest."

 **The End**

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 **To everyone who followed, favorited, reviewed or just simply read, thank you. Your comments, criticism and support are what made this possible and kept me going. This isn't the end for Jo and the gang. I'm planning a sequel to BJW that will take us through the events of the movie. I don't have much on paper yet, but I'm hopeful to rectify that quickly. I sincerely hope I will see you all again when Jo and Owen take on the I-Rex.**

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 **jahoney: I understand where you are coming from. That chapter fought me a little, and I'm not sure why. I think I was getting too bogged down in the details if that makes any sense. I tried to get back on track for the finale chapter, and hope I was successfully. Please know I sincerely appreciate all your comments and help during this process. I will keep my fingers crossed that you tune in and let me know what you think about the sequel.  
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 **KaraAlissa: I really enjoy that too. I think it's so fun to add to their personalities (since we aren't given too much from the movie). Plus, it's a great way to add details without saying "this is what happened then". Really appreciate your reviews and support...it really does make a difference. Thank you so much, and I hope you tune in when the sequel comes out.**

 **Mystery Guest: I'm so glad you stuck with it. I understand where you are coming from. I read a dual POV (separate stories) before and had the same inclination you did to just say "yeah, I know how this ends" and be done with it. I'm glad you didn't. Thank you!**

 **thakidiscbac: I love me some slow clap! Much appreciated...all your reviews and for reading. I hope you come back for the sequel.**

 **Archeops567: Hi, thanks for the review. As for your question, that takes place in one of the first couple of chapters. I didn't spell out the "fight scene" per say, but there is the interaction with Jo prior and after (where he pays her the bet). I think it's in "The Date" chapter.**

 **19irene96: Thanks for reading! It means a lot :)**

 **angelicedg: Me too! I love adding to Simon. I totes love flushing out his relationship with Jo. When I imagine the two of them in my head (both so different) it is so much fun to think about. You've been reading/reviewing since I posted BJW and haven't abandoned me yet. It is so very much appreciated. I hope I have conveyed how much it means, and am hoping your come back again :)**


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